A serpent and The Prisoner of Azkaban
by Shadow Priesstes
Summary: The third book has arrived and the holyday can start...
1. Arriving

A/N: so guys here comes the third chapter and yes everyone will be OOC, but I need them to act like that you will see in the chapters…

I. Arriving

* * *

It was a lovely December day on Privet Drive, fresh snow fell in the night and the sunrays plaid on the white clack.

"Mom, dad we are all packed." Called Lily cheerfully while standing in the living room with her bags beside her. She was so excited meting up with everyone and to see the horror on her sister's and Vernon's face.

Shortly two days after getting home she got a letter from Severus telling her that Lucius got everything settled with his parents though his grandfather went away on a holyday and Lucius's father wanted a rather long explanation about the two Howlers, but they managed to make something up and he also told her that they got a letter from James and Narcissa who managed to talk they parents in to come a bit later also to the '_hut' _act civilized around each other and get Lily's parents away from them so that they could have fun and it also seemed that Narcissa got her two older sisters to come to. This will be so much fun and the third book should also arrive soon so this would be her best winter holyday.

"We are coming Lily dear." Answered Mrs. Evans as she walked down the stairs, she just reached the last stair when the door bell rung.

"I will get it." Petunia yelled happily as she dashed to the door. Opening it three stood Vernon and his sister Marge. "Vernon!" Petunia squalled as she flung her arms around her massive boyfriend. "Marge it is so great to see you to."

"We are also happy Petunia." Vernon said as he hugged the girl while throwing an ugly look at the redhead.

'_Do that as long as you can you whale.' _She thought while grinning on the inside.

"I also come for moral support because of the freak." Marge whispered while glancing at Lily.

"Oh thank you Marge." Petunia said in a thankful tone as she grabbed the other girls hands.

"Well children everyone up in the car." Called Mr. Evans smiling at the children.

"Yes!" the four children called cheerfully.

* * *

After four hours of driving they arrived at they destination. Mr. Evans wanted already to stop the car, but then Lily suddenly leaned forth in her seat behind the driver's seat.

"Dad drive please farther." She said suddenly smiling.

"Lily dear there is no more ro….oh there is a rode." Her father said smiling and so they drove up to a holyday home.

Stopping the car Lily immediately jumped out and run to the house the others walking behind her to stop the redhead.

"Lily we are not supposed to be here this place belongs to someone rich." Her mother said.

"Yes someone filthy rich." Lily said grinning as she opened the door and run inside.

"Your freak sister lost it completely you poor thing." Marge said as she held Petunia's hand.

The little group entered the unusually big living room as suddenly…

"Lily, you are finally here!" yelled suddenly a young girl around Lily's age with soft red hair as she run up to the other hugging her.

"We already thought that we need to come and get you." Said a rather beautiful older looking blond girl as she hugged the redhead together with an other girl.

"Alice, Narcissa, Molly great to see you." Lily said delighted as she looked over the three girls shoulders.

Only now saw her parents and the other three children the six boys sitting there.

"You!" Petunia suddenly yelled in panic when she saw Severus sitting beside an older looking blond boy.

"Hello Tuney." He said while waving at her.

"Ah yes I think it is now time that I explain you a five things." Lily said as she run up to the older blond boy. "Mom, dad this is Lucius Malfoy, he is three years above us and a Slytherin Perfect plus this holiday house belongs to his parents and he invited us here." Lily said.

"Mr. Evans, Mrs. Evans it is a pleasure." Lucius said as he shook the hand of Lily's father and kissed her mother's hand who giggled at this.

"And this are my sister Petunia, and that is her boyfriend and his sister Vernon and Marge Dursley. And guys the others here are Remus John Lupin he is also a Gryffindor and in my year, Molly Prewett and her boyfriend Arthur Weasley will finish Hogwarts this year, they are both Gryffindors, Alice Ferris and her boyfriend Frank Longbottom are also in the same House then me, those two over there are Evan Rosier and Aractus Flint both are sixth year Slytherin, Sev you already know, she over there beside Sev is Narcissa Black and…where are those three troublemakers?" Lily asked suddenly when she heard Petunia scream in panic.

"THERE IS A RAT ON ME!" Marge and Susan Evans also screamed in panic till Alice took the rat from her hair.

"I found Peter." She said smiling as she set the rat on the ground and to the Muggles biggest shock it turned in to a boy.

"Uhm…sorry this is Peter Pettigrew also a Gryffindor in my year and also an Animagus a wizard who can turn in to an animal." Just in this moment a black dog run inside and jumped on Narcissa.

"Sirius stop that." She said and the dog turned in to a boy.

"This is our number one heart-breaker Sirius Orion Black, he and Narcissa are cousins."

"Hello." Sirius said with his most charming grin.

"Sirius, do you know where James is?" Lily asked as said boy suddenly broke out laughing and soon the others followed in.

"Hey Prongs those doors were definitely not made for you." He said laughing. When the others also turned around Lily also started laughing at James as he tried to fit through the door in his stag form.

Seeing that he was only blaming himself he took his human form and walked up to Lily's father.

"Mr. Evans, I James Potter Heir of Gryffindor and to the Potter fortune would like to ask you for the hand of your beautiful daughter." James said in a firm voice which made everyone giggle while Lily blushed scarlet red. Her father could only gap at the boy while Petunia and her two friends were ghostly pale.

James waited as he was suddenly smacked over the head. Looking up he paled a bit.

"Uhm…hay mom." He said to his fuming mother while his father tried to suppress a laugh.

"You can ask that question later after you finished your seventh year young man." She growled. "Allana Potter and this is my husband Alphonse Potter." She said kindly.

"Our son rushes things sometime." Mr. Potter wad while nodding in approwement to his son for his excellent choose.

Lily's father wanted to say something as suddenly seven loud popping noises were heard and more people appeared in the living room giving Petunia, Vernon and Marge nearly a heart attack and making them stuck closer together.

"Mom, father thanks for getting our other things here." Lucius said smiling.

"Your welcome Lucius." His mother said while Abraxas looked like as if he was pouting.

"Miss Black would you also care to tell me why I got a letter from you?" the blond man asked.

"My daughter sent you a Howler?" Cygnus Black asked his daughter shocked while his wife Druella was already on the side of Lucius's mother.

"Wow, interesting going little sister." Bellatrix said as he stood beside Rudolphus who was in the meantime staring confused at the little girl his fiancé's probably twin sister was holding. The little girl's hair suddenly turned from black to violet and was trying to grab the other's finger.

"Erm…Metamorpmagus…?" he asked unsure and suddenly every head turned to the young woman and the child.

"Andromeda!" both Narcissa and Sirius yelled happily as they hugged the young woman.

"Andromeda how come you are here?" Druella asked her disowned daughter as her eyes suddenly fell on the little girl. Disowned or not something flickered up in her, she had a granddaughter. Walking carefully up to her oldest child she held her hands out carefully. "Can I hold her?" she asked and her daughter let her take the little giggling girl in her arms.

"What is her name?" Bellatrix asked suddenly.

"Nymphadora, but Ted and I only call her Dora." Andromeda answered.

"In this family seems to everyone come up with strange names." Sirius said.

"Well, Ted was to tired and panicked to suggest anything and I was also done." Andromeda muttered.

"I understand, Black girls have always the longest and hardest births. I remember when your mother gave birth to you Sirius, she accidentally got hold of her wand and well…lets just say the Curciatus curse missed his best part only by inches." When she finished every wizard in the room flinched and both Rudolphus and Lucius gave out a panicked squeak like noise before falling with a death faint to the ground.

_To be continued…_

* * *

A/N: well this was the first chap and yes I know that we have to many people here, but not everyone will read they have got other roles…


	2. Sky fun

II. Sky fun and _Owl __Post_

* * *

After the two boys got Enervated and all introducings were done between the groups even if three certain people stared at everyone as if they would be stuck in a nightmare it was decided that everyone should ho skiing.

While the adults were getting the explaination from the Evan's pair and Druella keep one eye on her granddaughter were on the other side of the mountain the others having they fun….

"Vernon I plead to you go faster!" Petunia shrieked in panic while Vernon held her in his arms, Marge was in the meantime bouncing beside them.

"VERNON PLEASE HELP!" she screamed to her brother.

"Petunia, the skis can't go any faster then this! Marge please hold out!" Vernon yelled.

"Oh my goodness Vernon WE WILL DIE!" Petunia screamed while the others glide after them on they skis and snowboards, wands drawn.

"Hey Lils that guy and his sister are perfect practicing targets."

"Rosier called over as he threw a freezing spell on the snow making the three Muggles scream in terror.

"I know!"

"This is brilliant, and here I thought I would hate spending some time of my holydays here with you all!" Bellatrix yelled excited as she threw a five nasty hexes in Vernon's direction.

* * *

After two hours of amused learning on the adults side and Muggle Hunting on the childrens were both groups back in the house, the adults drinking hot chocolate in the sitting room while the children suddenly stood up.

"Where are you going?" Mrs. Malfoy asked curiously.

"Reading." Sirius said grinning and suddenly spit his uncle, Mr. Potter and his two cousins they drinks out and started coughing while Mrs. Potter and his aunt rushed over to him to see if he had fever.

"He is alright actually." Narcissa said as she and the other teens left the room.

"We are going after them." Allana said as she looked over at Druella who nodded.

"Erm…darling what are you planning?" Mr. Potter asked his wife carefully.

"Sirius Black I reading out of his free will, there is something fishy going on."

And so were now all adults leaning on the living room door and trying to hear something. Meanwhile inside were three certain Muggles tied up and hung up on the ceiling, Vernon's and Marge's mouths stuffed with two Sirius's socks because of they insulting. The others meanwhile greeted Phineas's portrait and the black cat was also there so they only needed to sit down on the ground well except for Rosier who decided that he wants to tape everything with a camera and had to much fun with it, Flint decided to play list writer for the different lists the group had and Rudolphus who was sitting on the couch and staring uneasily and utterly confused at little Nymphadora who found his reaction to funny.

"Bella, when you marry Rudolphus I don't think having children would be a good idea." Andromeda whispered to her twin.

"And why do you say that Dromeda?" she snapped, but still followed the gaze of her sister. "On the other hand he looks absolutely lost while facing your daughter…" she said.

"So guys the third book is here." Sirius said excitedly as he held up a book.

"Okey what strange powers has that thing that he "she gestured to a still grinning Sirius "is so fanatic to read it?" asked Bellatrix.

"This my dear Bella is a book from the future and has the title _**Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban**_"

"A nook from the future?" Andromeda asked stunned.

"Yes and now let us read."

"I will start." Lily said smiling.

* * *

Meanwhile in front of the door were the adults still trying to hear what the children were saying.

"Well Bella hasn't demolished the room yet and I hope they can speak a bit louder." Cygnus said after not hearing the sound of braking objects which usually can be heard if she hears even the name of her sister or cousin mentioned.

"Potter, take your hand immediately from my hip."

"Sorry Malfoy, but I'm trying to hear something."

"Shut up the both of you we can't hear because of you." Solana Malfoy snapped at the two men and they shut up.

* * *

Back in the room stared everyone at the book in Lily's hands.

"Ok the first title is _**Owl Post**_." She read and waved at the camera Rosier was holding.

"So Harry is allowed to get post?" Sirius asked.

"Sirius let her read and you will find out." Narcissa said to her cousin.

_**Harry Potter was a highly unusual boy in many ways. For one thing, he hated the summer holidays more than any other time of the year. **_

"We understand that Harry." James said as he looked up glaring at they three captives.

_**For another, he really wanted to do his homework, but was forced to do it in secret, in the dead of night. And he also happened to be a wizard. **_

"And what I so unusual about that?" Bellatrix asked annoyed.

_**It was nearly midnight, and he was lying on his front in bed, the blankets drawn right over his head like a tent, a torch in one hand and a large leather-bound book (**__**A History of Magic **__**by Bathilda Bagshot) propped open against the pillow. **_

_**Harry moved the tip of his eagle-feather quill down the page, frowning as he looked for something that would help him write his essay, 'Witch-Burning in the Fourteenth Century Was Completely Pointless - Discuss'. **_

"Because it was," said Sirius simply.

_**The quill paused at the top of a likely-looking paragraph. Harry pushed his round glasses up his nose, moved his torch closer to the book and read: **_

"Lily can we please skip that part?" James asked hopefully.

"I think yes." The redhead said.

_**Harry put his quill between his teeth and reached underneath his pillow for his ink bottle and a roll of parchment. Slowly and very carefully he unscrewed the ink bottle, dipped his quill into it and began to write, pausing every now and then to listen, because if any of the Dursleys heard the scratching of his quill on their way to the bathroom, he'd probably find himself locked in the cupboard under the stairs for the rest of the summer. **_

"Gits…" Sirius hissed as he and the others stared up at the whimpering and confused trio.

_**The Dursley family of number four, Privet Drive, was the reason that Harry never enjoyed his summer holidays. Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia and their son, Dudley, were Harry's only living relatives. **_

"What?" Petunia who was the only one of the three without a gag asked confused.

"Ah yes Petunia, I was murdered when my baby was only one and he was brought to you, but you and that disgusting valrus and your whale of a son only threat him as filth and now you pay…" Lily growled at her sister with anger.

"Wait what?" Andromeda asked confused.

"Harry is the son of James and Lily and he kicked Voldy' ass already three times." Sirius explained to his two gapping cousins and soon cousin-in-law who was still trying to figure out what to do with the little girl in front of him who kept changing her hair color every minute.

_**They were Muggles, and they had a very medieval attitude towards magic. **_

_**Harry's dead parents, who had been a witch and wizard themselves, were never mentioned under the Dursleys' roof. For years, Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon had hoped that if they kept Harry as downtrodden as possible, they would be able to squash the magic out of him. **_

"Muggles are so stupid, you can't squash it out if it is there." Bellatrix said laughing and in front of the door most of the adults looked worried together, they had no clue what was said, but Bella's laughing never meant to much good for others.

**To their fury, they had been unsuccessful, and now lived in terror of anyone finding out that Harry had spent most of the last two years at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The most the Dursleys could do these days was to lock away Harry's spellbooks, wand, cauldron and broomstick at the start of the summer holidays, and forbid him to talk to the neighbours. **

Sirius grinned wickedly as he lookd up at the trio and then to Flint.

"Hey Aractus I hope you make those notes."

"Of course." Flint answered grinning.

_**This separation from his spellbooks had been a real problem for Harry, because his teachers at Hogwarts had given him a lot of holiday work. One of these essays, a particularly nasty one about Shrinking Potions, **_

_**was for Harry's least favourite teacher, Professor Snape,**_

"Oh, so you become a teacher Severus?" Bella asked the blackhead whie Petunia only paled even further.

"Yes."

_**who would be delighted to have an excuse to give Harry detention for a month. Harry had therefore seized his chance in the first week of the holidays. **__._

_**While Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia and Dudley had gone out into the front garden to admire Uncle Vernon's new company car (in very loud voices, so that the rest of the street would notice it too), **_

"Show offs…" they all said in union.

* * *

Meanwhile by the door Alphonse potter looked up triumphantly.

"I heard what they said." He said grinning.

"Really what did they say?" his wife asked excitedly.

"_Show offs_…" he said and everyone turned back to the door to eavesdrop.

**

* * *

**

**Harry had crept downstairs, picked the lock on the cupboard under the stairs, grabbed some of his books and hidden them in his bedroom. **

"Fred and George must have taught Harry how to do that," said Sirius proudly.

**As long as he didn't leave spots of ink on the sheets, the Dursleys need never know that he was studying magic by night. **

**Harry had been keen to avoid trouble with his aunt and uncle at the moment, as they were already in a bad mood with him, all because he'd received a telephone call from a fellow wizard one week into the school holidays. **

"Then that means Ron probably called Harry," said Lily.

"I hope someone explained to Ron how to use a Muggle telephon." Severus said and Lily hurriedly read forth.

"Ugh…I think no…" she said.

_**Ron Weasley,**_

"Our son." Said both Arthur and Molly as two pair of eyes turned to them.

"Aha…" was the twins only reply.

_**who was one of Harry's best friends at Hogwarts, came from a whole family of wizards. This meant that he knew a lot of things Harry didn't, but had never used a telephone before. **_

"Oh no," groaned Remus. "What did he do?"

"You will see." Lily answered.

_**Most unluckily, it had been Uncle Vernon who had answered the call. **_

_**"Vernon Dursley speaking." **_

"Not good," said James.

_**Harry, who happened to be in the room at the time, froze as he heard Ron's voice answer. **_

_**"HELLO? HELLO? CAN YOU HEAR ME? I - WANT - TO - TALK - TO - HARRY - POTTER!" **_

_**Ron was yelling so loudly that Uncle Vernon jumped and held the receiver a foot away from his ear, staring at it with an expression of mingled fury and alarm. **_

"Ugh…Hermione would have been better, I mean sh is Muggle-born so she knows how to use a telephone." Alice said sighing.

_**"WHO IS THIS?" he roared in the direction of the mouthpiece. "WHO ARE YOU?" **_

_**"RON - WEASLEY!" Ron bellowed back, as though he and Uncle Vernon were speaking from opposite ends of a football pitch. "I'M - A - FRIEND - OF - HARRY'S - FROM - SCHOOL -" **_

"You shouldn't have said that, Ron," said Peter, shaking his head.

_**Uncle Vernon's small eyes swiveled around to Harry, who was rooted to the spot. **_

_**"THERE IS NO HARRY POTTER HERE!" he roared, now holding the receiver at arms length, as though frightened it might explode. "I DON'T KNOW WHAT SCHOOL YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT! NEVER CONTACT ME AGAIN! DON'T YOU COME NEAR MY FAMILY!" **_

"You disgusting, fat git…" James growled dangerously while Rudolphu seemed to show improwement when it come to cower little Dora's ears when an insult come.

_**And he threw the receiver back onto the telephone as if dropping a poisonous spider. **_

_**The row that had followed had been one of the worst ever. **_

_**"HOW DARE YOU GIVE THIS NUMBER TO PEOPLE LIKE - PEOPLE LIKE YOU!" Uncle Vernon roared spraying Harry with spit. **_

"HEY!" everyone yelled.

_**Ron obviously realized that he'd got Harry into trouble, because he hadn't called again. Harry's other best friend from Hogwarts, Hermione Granger, hadn't been in touch either. Harry suspected that Ron had warned Hermione not to call, which was a pity, because Hermione, the cleverest witch in Harry's year, had Muggle parents, knew perfectly well how to use a telephone, and would probably have enough sense not to say that she went to Hogwarts. **_

"That's true," said Lily. "it is too bad that she isn't calling."

_**So Harry had had no word from any of his wizarding friends for five long weeks, and this summer was turning out to be almost as bad as the last one. There was one, very small improvement: **_

"Hmm…?"

_**after swearing that he wouldn't use her to send any letters to any of his friends, Harry had been allowed to let his owl, Hedwig, out at night. **_

_**Uncle Vernon had given in because of the racket Hedwig made if she was locked in her cage all the time. **_

"Animal abuser I would like to see how you would like to be locked up in a ca…ooohhhthis is a nice idea." Sirius said as he started scribling on a parchment and showed it to the others. Vernon, Marge and Petunia didn't like they grins at all.

_**Harry finished writing about Wandelin the Weird and paused to listen again. The silence in the dark house was broken only by the distant, grunting snores of his enormous cousin, Dudley. **_

"Pig," they all muttered.

_**It must be very late. Harry's eyes were itching with tiredness. **_

_**Perhaps he'd finish this essay tomorrow night... **_

_**He replaced the top of the ink bottle, pulled an old pillowcase from under his bed, put the torch, **__**A History of Magic,**__** his essay, quill and ink inside it, got out of bed and hid the lot under a loose floorboard under his bed. **_

"Oh those come rather handy I have also one in my room." Rosier commented while making a zoom at the three Muggles.

_**Then he stood up, stretched, and checked the time on the luminous alarm clock on his bedside table. **_

_**It was one o'clock in the morning. Harry's stomach gave a funny jolt. He had been thirteen years old, without realizing it, for a whole hour. **_

"We should sing Happy Birthday." James suggested and the others wanted already to disagree, but then they eyes found they way to the hanging trio.

* * *

"Psss…I think I can hear them." Abraxas Malfoy said, but then suddenly gulped.

"Uhm…are the kids just singing Happy Birthday?" Cygnus asked confused, the others were also clueless about why the children were doing this.

_**

* * *

**_

_**Yet another unusual thing about Harry was how little he looked forward to his birthdays. He had never received a birthday card in his life. The Dursleys had completely ignored his last to birthdays, and he has no reason to suppose they would remember his one. **_

"Gits…"

_**Harry walked across the dark room, past Hedwig's large, empty cage, to the open window. He leaned on the sill, the cool night air pleasant on his face after a long time under the blankets. Hedwig had been absent for two nights now. Harry wasn't worried about her- she'd been gone this long before- but he hoped she'd be back soon. **_

_**She was the only living creature in this house who didn't flinch at the sight of him. **_

_**Harry, though still rather small and skinny for his age, had grown a few inches over the last year. His jet-black hair, however, was just as it always had been: stubbornly untidy, whatever he did to it. **_

_**The eyes behind his glasses were bright green, **_

"His father's looks, but his mother's eyes." Remus said smiling and Petunia a strange knot in her stomach, ok she was angry at her sister and jaelous to, but she never wanted her death.

_**and on his forehead, clearly visible through his hair was a thin scar, shaped like a bolt of lightening. **_

_**Of all the unusual things about Harry, this scar was the most extraordinary of all. It was not, as the Dursleys had pretended for ten years, a souvenir of the car crash that had killed Harry's parents,**_

"WHAT!" screamed the two sisters offended and outside the door everyone flinched.

"No wizard or witch would die in a car crash." Andromeda said angrily.

_**because Lily and James Potter had not died in a car crash. **_

Lily sighed suddenly.

"Lily what is wrong?" Severus asked his friend.

"Here it comes again." She said in a sad tone.

_**They had been murdered, murdered by the most feared Dark wizard for a hundred years, Lord Voldemort. Harry had escaped from the same attack with nothing more than a scar on his forehead, when Voldemort's curse, instead of killing him, had rebounded upon its originator. Barely alive, Voldemort had fled... **_

At that the two sisters and Rudolphus staed gapping at the book while Petunia felt nousea wash over her.

_**But Harry had come face to face with him since at Hogwarts. Remembering their last meeting as he stood at the dark window, Harry had to admit he was lucky even to have reached his thirteenth birthday. **_

_**He scanned the starry sky for a sign of Hedwig, perhaps soaring back to him with a dead mouse in her beak, expecting praise. **_

_**Gazing absently over the rooftops, it was a few seconds before Harry realized what he was seeing. **_

_**Silhouetted against the golden moon, and growing larger every moment, was a large, strangely lopsided creature, and it was flapping in Harry's direction.**_

"What is it?" Frank asked.

_**He stood quite still, watching it sink lower and lower. For a split second, he hesitated, his hand on the window-latch, wondering whether to slam it shut, but then the bizarre creature soared over one of the street lamps of Privet Drive, and Harry, realizing what it was, leapt aside. **_

_**Through the window soared three owls, two of them holding up the third, which appeared to be unconscious.**_

"Errol…" Arthur groaned while most of the others started chuckling.

_**They landed with a soft **__**flump**__** on Harry's bed, and the middle owl, which was large and grey, keeled right over and lay motionless. There was a package tied to its legs. **_

_**Harry recognized the unconscious owl at once- his name was Errol, and he belonged to the Weasley family. **_

"Ron's written to him!" cheered James.

"Wonderfull, his friends remembered his birthday." Lily said smiling before she threw a dirty look at her sister.

_**Harry dashed to the bed at once, untied the cords round Errol's legs, took off the parcel and then carried Errol off to Hedwig's cage. Errol opened one bleary eye, gave a feeble hoot of thanks, and began to gulp down some water. **_

_**Harry turned back to the remaining owls. One of them, the larger snowy female, was his own Hedwig. She, too, was carrying a parcel, and looked extremely pleased with herself. She gave Harry an affectionate nip with her beak as he removed her burden, then flew across the room to join Errol. **_

_**Harry didn't recognize the third owl, a handsome tawny one, but he knew at once where it had come from, because in addition to a third parcel, it was carrying a letter bearing the Hogwarts crest. **_

_**When Harry relieved this owl of its post it ruffled its feathers importantly, stretched its wings and took off through the window into the night. **_

_**Harry sat down on his bed, grabbed Errol's package, ripped off the brown paper and discovered a present wrapped in gold, and his first ever birthday card. Fingers trembling slightly, he opened the envelope. Two pieces of paper fell out- a letter and a newspaper cutting. **_

_**The cutting had clearly come out of the wizarding newspaper, the Daily Prophet, because the people in the black and white picture were moving. Harry picked it up, smoothed it out and read: **_

_**MINISTRY OF MAGIC EMPLOYEE SCOOPS GRAND PRIZE **_

_**Arthur Weasley, Head of Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office at the Ministry of Magic, has won the annual Daily Prophet Grand Prize Galleon Draw. **_

"This is great!" exclaimed Sirius.

"Yes it is." Arthur said happily.

"Still in a financial fiasco?" Andromeda asked softly.

"Somewhat better int he future."

_**A delighted Mr. Weasley told the Daily Prophet, "We will be spending the gold on a summer holiday in Egypt, where our eldest son, Bill, works as a curse breaker for Gringotts Wizarding Bank. **_

_**The Weasley family will be spending a month in Egypt, returning for the start of the new school year at Hogwarts, which five of the Weasley children attend. **_

_**Harry scanned the moving photograph, and a grin spread across his face as he saw all nine of the Weasleys waving furiously at him, standing in front of a very large pyramid. **_

_**Plump little Mrs. Weasley; tall, balding Mr Weasley; six sons; and one daughter,**_

"Wow…I nearly managed to castrate Ted while getting Dora, you are lucky Arthur." Andromeda said in a stunned tone while most boys looked paled.

_**all (though the black and white pitcure didn't show it) with flaming red hair. Right in the middle of the picture was Ron, tall and gangling, with his pet rat Scabbers on his shoulder and his arm around his little sister, Ginny.**_

_**Harry couldn't think of anyone who deserved to win a large pile of gold more than the Weasleys, who were very nice and extremely poor. **_

_**He picked up Ron's letter and unfolded it. **_

_**Dear Harry, **_

_**Happy birthday! **_

_**Look, I'm really sorry about that telephone call. I hope the Muggles didn't give you a hard time. I asked dad, and he reckons I shouldn't have shouted. **_

"You think?" asked Sirius sarcastically.

_**It's brilliant here in Egypt. Bill's taken us round all the tombs and you wouldn't believe the curses those old Egyptian wizards put on them. Mum wouldn't let Ginny come in the last one. There were all these mutant skeletons in there, of Muggles who'd broken in and grown extra heads and stuff.**_

"Ugh," they all said.

_**I couldn't believe it when Dad won the Daily Prophet Draw. Seven hundred Galleons! Most of it's gone on this holiday, but they're going to buy me a new wand for next year. **_

_**Harry remembered only too well the occasion when Ron's old wand had snapped. It had happened when the car the two of them had been flying to Hogwarts had crashed into a tree in the school grounds. **_

_**all (though the black and white pitcure didn't show it) with flaming red hair. Right in the middle of the picture was Ron, tall and gangling, with his pet rat Scabbers on his shoulder and his arm around his little sister, Ginny.**_

_**Harry couldn't think of anyone who deserved to win a large pile of gold more than the Weasleys, who were very nice and extremely poor. **_

_**He picked up Ron's letter and unfolded it. **_

_**Dear Harry, **_

_**Happy birthday! **_

_**Look, I'm really sorry about that telephone call. I hope the Muggles didn't give you a hard time. I asked dad, and he reckons I shouldn't have shouted. **_

"You think?" asked Sirius sarcastically.

_**It's brilliant here in Egypt. Bill's taken us round all the tombs and you wouldn't believe the curses those old Egyptian wizards put on them. Mum wouldn't let Ginny come in the last one. There were all these mutant skeletons in there, of Muggles who'd broken in and grown extra heads and stuff.**_

"Ugh," they all said.

_**I couldn't believe it when Dad won the Daily Prophet Draw. Seven hundred Galleons! Most of it's gone on this holiday, but they're going to buy me a new wand for next year. **_

_**Harry remembered only too well the occasion when Ron's old wand had snapped. It had happened when the car the two of them had been flying to Hogwarts had crashed into a tree in the school grounds. **_

"Okey…I will not ask about the flying car, buti n which type of tree did they carash in?" Bella asked.

"A Whomping Willow…" they answered and she paled.

_**We'll be back about a week before term starts and we'll be going up to London to get my wand and our new books. Any chance of meeting you there? **_

"Doubtful, unless Hagrid or somebody takes him," said Lily sadly.

_**Don't let the Muggles get you down! **_

_**Try and come to London, **_

_**Ron **_

_**P.S. Percy's Head Boy. He got the letter last week. **_

**Harry glanced back at the photograph. Percy, who was in his seventh and final year at Hogwarts, was looking particularly smug. He had pinned his Head Boy's badge to the fez perched jauntily on top of his neat hair, his horn-rimmed glasses flashing in the Egyptian sun. **

**Harry now turned to his present and unwrapped it. Inside was what looked like a miniature glass spinning top. There was another note from Ron beneath it. **

_**Harry - this is a Pocket Sneakoscope. If there's someone untrustworthy around, it's supposed to light up and spin. Bill says it's rubbish sold for wizard tourists and isn't reliable, because it kept lighting up at dinner last night. But he didn't realize Fred and George had put beetles in his soup. **_

_**Bye - Ron. **_

They all laughed while Vernon, Marge and Petunia looked sick. "Fred and George are so funny!" choked James between fits of laughter.

_**Harry put the Pocket Sneakoscope on his bedside table, where it stood quite still, balanced on its point, reflecting the luminous hands of his clock. He looked at it happily for a few seconds, then picked up the parcel Hedwig had brought. **_

_**Inside this, too, there was wrapped a present, a card, and a letter, this time from Hermione.**_

"So Hedwig knew Hermione got him something and went and to get it for him!" exclaimed James.

"Snovy owls are sometimes more inteligent then the other owl types." Rudolphus explained from his place on the couch.

_**Dear Harry, **_

_**Ron wrote to me about his phone call to your Uncle Vernon. I do hope you're all right. **_

_**I'm on holiday in France at the moment and I didn't know how I was going to send this too you - what if they'd opened it at Customs? - **_

_**but then Hedwig turned up! I think she wanted to make sure you got something for your birthday for a change. **_

"That was nice of Hermione and Hedwig," said Remus.

_**I bought your present by owl-order; there was an advertisement in the **_**Daily Prophet**_** (I've been getting it delivered, it's so good to keep up with what's going on in the wizarding world). **_

_**Did you see that picture of Ron and his family a few weeks ago? I bet he's learning loads, I'm really jealous - the ancient Egyptian wizards were fascinating.**_

"They were fascinating," said Remus.

"They were trully brilliant people." Lucius said nodding.

"Though I think Ron's spending more time having fun than learning."James pointed out grinning.

_**There's some interesting local history of witchcraft here, too. I've rewritten my whole History of Magic essay to include some of the things I've found out. **_

_**I hope it's not too long, it's two rolls of parchment more than Professor Binns asked for. **_

"Excuse me?" asked Lily. "I don't write so much!"

"Neither do I," added Remus. "At most it would be a roll longer, not two."

"Even I only manage one and a half…" Severus said shocked.

_**Ron says he's going to London in the last week of the holidays. Can you make it? Will your aunt and uncle let you come? **_

_**I really hope you can. If not, I'll see you on the Hogwarts Express on September the first! **_

_**Love from **_

_**Hermione**_

_**P.S. Ron says Percy's Head Boy. I'll bet Percy's really pleased. Ron doesn't seem too happy about it. **_

"I'm happy, two Head Boys in the family." Molly said proudly.

_**Harry laughed again as he put Hermione's letter aside and picked up her present. It was very heavy. **_

_**Knowing Hermione, he was sure it would be a large book full of very difficult spells - but it wasn't. **_

_**His heart gave a huge bound as he ripped back the paper and saw a sleek black leather case with silver words stamped across it:**__**Broomstick Servicing Kit. **_

"Wow, what an excellent present!" said James. "Hermoine is a brilliant friend."

_**"Wow, Hermione!" Harry whispered, unzipping the case to look inside. **_

_**There was a large jar of Fleetwood's High-Finish Handle Polish, a pair of gleaming silver Tail-Twig Clippers, a tiny brass compass to clip onto your broom for long journeys, and a **__**Handbook of Do-It-Yourself Broomcare. **_

_**Apart from his friends, the thing that Harry missed most about Hogwarts was Quidditch, the most popular sport in the magical world- highly dangerous, very exciting and played on broomsticks. Harry happened to be a very good Quidditch player; **_

"Just like his father," said James proudly, smiling at eberyone else.

_**he had been the youngest person in a century to be picked for one of the Hogwarts house teams.**_

"You mean that he was so good that they kicked the rule that no first years ont he team?" Bellatrix asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes."

_**One of Harry's most prized possessions was his Nimbus Two Thousand racing broom. **_

"I really wish I had one of those," said James. "Too bad it's in the future."

_**Harry put the leather case aside and picked up his last parcel. He recognized the untidy scrawl on the brown paper at once: this was from Hagrid, the Hogwarts gamekeeper. **_

_**He tore off the top layer of the paper and glimpsed something green**_

"Why green again…!" Sirius whined.

* * *

"I think I have heard Sirius."

"What did he say Abraxas?"

"He…is whining about the color green…" Malfoy said.

_**

* * *

**_

_**and leathery, but before he could unwrap it properly, the parcel gave a strange quiver, and whatever was inside it snapped loudly- as though it had jaws. **_

_**Harry froze. he knew that Hagrid would never send him anything dangerous on purpose, but then, Hagrid didn't have a normal person's view of what was dangerous. **_

"Understatement of the century," said Sirius.

_**Hagrid had been known to befriend giant spiders, buy vicious, three-headed dogs from men in pubs and sneak illegal dragon eggs into his cabin. **_

"When did that man have…"

"The first one since he was a student and the later two inHarry's first year."

_**Harry poked the parcel nervously. It snapped loudly again. Harry reached for the lamp on his bedside table, gripped it firmly in one hand and raised it over his head, ready to strike. Then he seized the rest of the wrapping paper in his other hand and pulled. **_

_**And out fell - a book. Harry just had time to register its handsome green cover, emblazoned with the golden title, **__**The Monster Book of Monsters, **__**before it flipped onto its edge and scuttled sideways along the bed like some weird crab. **_

"Just like Hagrid to give Harry a book that moves and probably bites," muttered James while the two Dursleys and Petunia paled and starred down in horror at the mentioning of a book that lives.

_**"Uh oh," Harry muttered. **_

_**The book toppled off the bed with a loud clunk and shuffled rapidly across the room. Harry followed it stealthily. The book was hiding in the dark space under his desk. Praying that the Dursleys were still fast asleep, Harry got down on his hands and knees and reached for it. **_

_**"Ouch!"The book snapped shut on his hand and then flapped past him, still scuttling on its covers. Harry scrambled around, threw himself forward and managed to flatten it. **_

_**Uncle Vernon gave a loud, sleepy grunt in the room next door. **_

_**Hedwig and Errol watched interestingly as Harry clamped the struggling book tight in his arms, hurried to the chest of drawers and pulled out a belt, which he buckled tightly around it. **_

_**The **__**Monster Book**__** shuddered angrily, but could no longer flap and snap, so Harry threw it down on the bed and reached for Hagrid's card. **_

_**Dear Harry, **_

_**Happy Birthday! **_

_**Think you might find this useful for next year. Won't say no more here. Tell you when I see you. **_

_**Hope the Muggles are treating you right. **_

_**All the best, **_

_**Hagrid. **_

_**It struck Harry as ominous that Hagrid though a biting book would come in useful, but he put up Hagrid's card next to Ron and Hermione's, grinning more broadly than ever. **_

_**Now there was only the letter from Hogwarts left. **_

_**Noticing that it was rather thicker than usual, Harry slit open the envelope, pulled out the first page of parchment within and read:**_

"It's his third year, which means Harry'll get the form to let him visit Hogsmeade," said Sirius suddenly.

"But I doubt Vernon or Petunia will sign it," said Lily angrily and glared at her sister. "I sould try to get one of those books for your birthday." She threatened.

_**Dear Mr Potter, **_

_**Please note that the new school year will begin on September the first. The Hogwarts Express will leave from King's Cross Station, platform nine and three-quarters, at eleven o'clock. **_

_**Third-years are permitted to visit the village of Hogsmeade at certain weekends. Please give the enclosed permission form to your parent or guardian to sign. **_

_**A list of books for next year is enclosed. **_

_**Yours sincerely, **_

_**Professor M. McGonagall **_

_**Deputy Headmistress **_

_**Harry pulled out the Hogsmeade permission form and looked at it, no longer grinning. It would be wonderful to visit Hogsmeade at weekends; he knew it was an entirely wizarding village, and he had never set foot in there. But how on earth was he going to persuade Uncle Vernon or Aunt Petunia to sign the form? **_

_**He looked over at the alarm clock. It was now two o'clock in the morning. Deciding that he'd worry about the Hogsmeade form when he woke up, Harry got back into bed and reached up to cross off another day on the chart he'd made for himself, counting down the days left until his return to Hogwarts. Then he took off his glasses and lay down, eyes open, facing his three birthday cards. **_

_**Extremely unusual though he was, at that moment Harry Potter felt just like everyone else: glad, for the first time in his life, that it was his birthday. **_

"Awww, " said Lily, looking a bit sad.

"So this was the end of the chapter who reads next?" Lily asked.

"I will." Frank said and Lily handed him the book.

_To be continued…_


	3. Feathers, ears, tail, howed and nose

III. Feathers, ears, tail, howes and nose, _Aunt Marge's Big Mistake _

* * *

When Frank looked down at the title a wicked smile started forming on his lips.

"Erm…Frank what is it?" James asked.

"I like that grin, it is so Slytherin like." Rosier piped in while still taping everything.

"Looks like we will while reading this chapter have some fun with the walrus's sister." He said as he looked up glaring at a squirming Marge. "The title is _**Aunt Marge's Big Mistake**_." He read and everyone started to make tormenting plans.

_**Harry went down to breakfast next morning to find the three Dursleys already sitting around the kitchen table. They were watching a brand-new television, a welcome-home-for-the-summer present for Dudley, **_

"You are spoiling that child Petunia." Lily said.

_**who had been complaining loudly about the long walk between the fridge and the television in the living room.**_

"Long walk?" demanded Remus. "It's probably only ten steps away!"

"I always knew that Muggles were lazy filth, but this tops it." Bellatrix said incuriously.

"Not all Muggles Ted is ok." Andromeda said in a defending tone.

"He is your husband Dromeda, of course you would take defense for him." She told her sister.

"I'm not defensive for Ted only because we are married, but not all Muggles are bad." She snapped while glaring at her sister.

"Yes they are."

"No they are not."

"Not all Muggles are bad, but these hanging here are." Narcissa stepped in before her older sisters started to duel.

Meanwhile in front of the door the adults all winched after hearing the two angered blackheads, but they didn't hear Narcissa's comment.

_**Dudley had spent most of the summer in the kitchen, his piggy little eyes fixed on the screen and his five chins wobbling as he ate continually. **_

_**Harry sat down between Dudley and Uncle Vernon,**_

"He actually fit between them?" Sirius asked shocked.

_**a large, beefy man with very little neck and a lot of moustache. Far from wishing Harry a happy birthday, none of the Dursleys gave any sign that they had noticed Harry enter the room, but Harry was far too used to this to care. **_

Flint added to one of the lists with the label _'Dursley'_ while everyone glared up at they victims.

_**He helped himself to a piece of toast and then looked up at the newsreader on the television, who was halfway through a report on an escaped convict. **_

_**"...the public is warned that Black is armed and extremely dangerous. **_

At that everyone stared at the book.

"Erm…are they refering to someone of our family?" Sirius asked confused as he looked at his three cousins.

"Well considering we are the only Blacks…"

_**A special hotline has been set up, and any sighting of Black should be reported immediately." **_

_**"No need to tell us he's no good," snorted Uncle Vernon, staring over the top of his newspaper at the prisoner. "Look at the state of him, the filthy layabout! Look at his hair!"**_

_**He shot a nasty look sideways at Harry, whose untidy hair had always been a source of great annoyance to Uncle Vernon. **_

"He can't help it!" protested James. "It grows that way and all Potter men have it!"

"Why is my son yelling about the Potter hair?" Mr. Potter asked confused.

"Maybie he noticed that it is a lost case?" Mr. Malfoy asked smirking.

"Shut it Malfoy at least I didn't put a gallon gale on it in my first two years." Mr. Potter snapped back.

"Why you…"

"Would you please stop arguing about your hair already?" Mr. Black asked annoyed while the two Evans only smiled amused, it looked like as if wizards wouldn't be so different from them.

_**Compared to the man on the television, however, whose gaunt face was surrounded by a matted, elbow-length tangle, Harry felt very well groomed indeed. **_

_**The newsreader had reappeared. **_

_**"The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries will announce today -" **_

_**"Hang on!" barked Uncle Vernon, staring furiously at the newsreader. "You didn't tell us where that maniac's escaped from! What use is that? Lunatic could be coming up the street right now!" **_

"That would be wonderful." Bellatrix said smiling sweetly at the imagination of the Dursleys being bruttaly murdered by some lunatic who is probably part of they family.

"Sirius your cousin is frightening." Frank whispered to Sirius who nodded.

_**Aunt Petunia, who was bony and horse-faced, whipped around and peered intently out of the kitchen window. **_

"For Merlin's shake." Seveus said groaning while the others rolled they eyes.

_**Harry knew Aunt Petunia would simply love to be the one to call the hotline number. She was the nosiest woman in the world**_

"This is not even an understatement." Lily said, ignoring her sister's protest.

_**and spent most of her life spying on her boring, law-abiding neighbours. **_

_**"When will they **__**learn**__**," said Uncle Vernon, pounding the table with his large purple fist, "that hanging's the only way to deal with these people?" **_

"WHAT!" everyone screamed, nearly giving they parents a heart attack.

"Oh yes and if we are alrady there bring back the witch burnings also." Growled Lucius in anger.

_**"Very true," said Aunt Petunia, who was still squinting into next door's runner-beans. **_

_**Uncle Vernon drained his teacup, glancing at his watch and added, "I'd better be off in a minute, Petunia, Marge's train gets in at ten." **_

_**Harry, whose thoughts had been upstairs with the Broomstick Servicing Kit, **_

James grinned and said, "As you should be, Harry."

_**was brought back to earth with an unpleasant bump. **_

_**"Aunt Marge?" he blurted out. "Sh-**__**she**__**'**__**s**__** now coming here, is she?" **_

"What did you horrible woman do to my baby…" Lily hissed icely at Marge.

_**Aunt Marge was Uncle Vernon's sister. Even though she was not a blood relative of Harry's (whose mother had been Aunt Petunia's sister), he had been forced to call her "Aunt" all his life. **_

"You shouldn't be even forced to see them." Sirius said.

_**Aunt Marge lived in the country, in a house with a large garden, where she bred bulldogs. She didn't often stay in Privet Drive, because she couldn't bear to leave her precious dogs, but each of her visits stood out horribly vividly in Harry's mind. **_

_**At Dudley's fifth birthday party, Aunt Marge had whacked Harry around the shins with her walking stick to stop him beating Dudley at musical statues. **_

Everyones wandhands started twiching and Petunia paled.

_**A few years later, she had turned up at Christmas with a computerised robot for Dudley and a box of dog biscuits for Harry. **_

_**On her last visit, the year before Harry had started at Hogwarts, Harry had accidentally trodden on the paw of her favourite dog. **_

_**Ripper had chased Harry out into the garden and up a tree, and Aunt Marge had refused to call him off until past midnight. The memory of the incident still brought tears of laughter into Dudley's eyes. **_

"YOU WORTHLES SCUM OF A WOMAN!" Lily screached in anger and yellow bem shot from the tip of her wand and Petunia let out a scream of horror while Vernon's and Marge's were muffled from they gags then Marge was suddenly cowered in bright yellow canary feathers.

"I would have suggested Curciatus, but this is also entertaining." Bella said and the others stared at her pale.

_**"Marge'll be here for a week," Uncle Vernon snarled, "and while we're on the subject," he pointed a fat finger threateningly at Harry, "we need to get a few things straight before I go and collect her." **_

_**Dudley smirked and withdrew his gaze from the television. Watching Harry being bullied by Uncle Vernon was Dudley's favourite form of entertainment. **_

_**"Firstly," growled Uncle Vernon, "you'll keep a civil tongue in your head when your talking to Marge." **_

_**"All right," said Harry bitterly, "if she does when she's talking to me." **_

"You tell him, Harry!" said Sirius.

_**"Secondly," said Uncle Vernon, acting as though he had not heard Harry's reply, "as Marge doesn't know anything about your **__**abnormality**__**, **_

"…" the three newcomers stared blankly at the book.

"He…he doesn't mean with abnormality…" Andromeda started and the others nodded.

"HOW DARE YOU MEAN THAT WE ARE ABNORMAL BECOUSE OF OUR MAGIC!" the three screamed in anger and if Narcissa wouldn't have stopped her sister would have Bella used Curciatus. The parents whimpered, but looked offended at the door and the man were even ready to storm in.

_**I don't want any - any **__**funny**__** stuff while she's here. You behave yourself, got me?" **_

_**"I will if she does," said Harry through gritted teeth. **_

_**"And thirdly," said Uncle Vernon, his mean little eyes not slits in his great purple face, "we've told Marge you attend St. Brutus's Secure Centre for Incurably Criminal Boys." **_

"YOU WHAT?" shouted James.

**"**_**What**__**?" Harry yelled. **_

_**"And you'll be sticking to that story, boy, or there'll be trouble," spat Uncle Vernon. **_

"His name is Harry!" yelled Lily as she looked up at Vernon. "Use it!"

_**Harry sat there, white-faced and furious, staring at Uncle Vernon, hardly able to believe it. Aunt Marge coming for a week-long visit - it was the worst birthday present the Dursleys had ever given him, including that pair of Uncle Vernon's old socks. **_

"Sirius, were that your most dirtiest socks?" Lily asked the other who started smirking.

"No, after the chapter I will get them they are in a security room." He said grinning.

_**"Well, Petunia," said Uncle Vernon, getting heavily to his feet, "I'll be off to the station, then. Want to come along for the ride, Dudders?" **_

_**"No," said Dudley, whose attention had returned to the television now that Uncle Vernon had finished threatening Harry. **_

_**"Duddy's got to make himself smart for his auntie," said Aunt Petunia, smoothing Dudley's thick blonde hair. "Mummy's bought him a lovely new bow-tie." **_

"Of course, nobody will be see it under his chins!" exclaimed Remus.

_**Uncle Vernon clapped Dudley on his porky shoulder. **_

_**"See you in a bit, then," he said, and he left the kitchen. **_

_**Harry, who had been sitting in a kind of horrified trance, had a sudden idea. **_

_**Abandoning his toast, he got quickly to his feet and followed Uncle Vernon to the front door. Uncle Vernon was pulling on his car coat. **_

_**"I'm not taking **__**you**__**," he snarled, as he turned to see Harry watching him. **_

_**"Like I wanted to come," said Harry coldly. "I want to ask you something." **_

_**Uncle Vernon eyed him suspiciously. **_

_**"Third-years at Hog - at my school are allowed to visit the village sometimes," said Harry. **_

_**"So?" snapped Uncle Vernon, taking his car keys from a hook next to the door. **_

_**"I need you to sign the permission form," said Harry in a rush. **_

_**"And why should I do that?" sneered Uncle Vernon. **_

_**"Well," said Harry, choosing his words carefully, "it'll be hard work, pretending to Aunt Marge I go to that St. Whatsits..." **_

_**"St. Brutus's Secure Centre for Incurably Criminal Boys!" bellowed Uncle Vernon, and Harry was pleased to hear a definite note of panic in Uncle Vernon's voice. **_

"I see where this is going." James said grinning.

_**"Exactly," said Harry, looking calmly up into Uncle Vernon's large, purple face. "It's a lot to remember. I'll have to make it sound convincing, won't I? What if I accidentally let something slip?" **_

_**"You'll get the stuffing knocked out of you, won't you?**__**" roared Uncle Vernon, advancing on Harry with his fist raised. **_

"Touch him and you will suffer a curse more terrible then Curciatus." Severus growled and everyone stared at him.

"You can do Avada Kedavra?" Bellatrix asked excitedly, her eyes sparkling.

"Erm…I don't know if I could use the killing curse." He said while backing nearer to Lucius.

"Imperio is not exactly so horrible till the user doesn't order they victim to kill themselves." Alice said and the tree Muggles paled.

"Erm…it is not one of the three Unforgivable…" Severus said while playing with his long fingers.

"…"

"I invented that spell…" he said timidly.

"YOU WHAT!" everyone yelled.

"Wow…that must be one Hell of a spell if you say that it is worse then Curciatus." Rudolphus commented before he turned back to lok at little Dora who still found him rather funny.

"What spell is it?" Bellatrix asked sweetly and Severus backed even further nearer to Lucius, personally he understood his friend completely.

"Uhm…I would like to keep my work to me for a while, it would be to dangerous…" he said.

_**But Harry stood his ground**_**. **

"Good boy!" shouted James.

_**"Knocking the stuffing out of me won't make Aunt Marge forget what I could tell her," he said grimly. **_

_**Uncle Vernon stopped, his fist still raised, his face an ugly puce. **_

_**"But if you sign the permission form," Harry went on quickly, "I swear I'll remember where I'm supposed to go to school, and I'll act like a Mug - like I'm normal and everything." **_

"Good, Harry," said Peter.

_**Harry could tell that Uncle Vernon was thinking it over, even if his teeth were bared and a vein was throbbing in his temple. **_

_**"Right," he snapped finally. "I shall monitor your behaviour carefully during Marge's visit. If, at the end of it, you've toed the line and kept to the story, I'll sign your ruddy form." **_

**He wheeled around, pulled open the front door and slammed it shut so hard that one of the little glass panes at the top fell out. **

**Harry didn't return to the kitchen. He went back upstairs to his bedroom. If he was going to act like a real Muggle, he'd better start now. Slowly and sadly he gathered up all his presents and his cards and hid them under the loose floorboard with his homework. **

_**Then he went to Hedwig's cage. Errol seemed to have recovered; he and Hedwig were both asleep, heads under their wings. Harry sighed, then poked them both awake. **_

_**"Hedwig," he said gloomily, "you're going to have to clear off for a week. Go with Errol, Ron'll look after you. I'll write him a note, explaining. And don't look at me like that" - Hedwig's large amber eyes were reproachful, "it's not my fault. It's the only way I'll be able to visit Hogsmeade with Ron and Hermione." **_

James and Lily shoot glares at they victims.

_**Ten minutes later, Errol and Hedwig (who had a note to Ron bound to her leg) soared out of the window and out of sight. Harry, now feeling thoroughly miserable, put the empty cage away inside the wardrobe. **_

_**But Harry didn't have long to brood. In next to no time, Aunt Petunia was shrieking up the stairs for Harry to come down and get ready to welcome their guest. **_

_**"Do something about your hair!" Aunt Petunia snapped as he reached the hall. **_

"It is useles with that hair." James said as he tried to flatten it as demonstration, but the hair took the same forma s before. "See, it is a lost case."

_**Harry couldn't see the point of trying to make his hair lie flat. Aunt Marge loved criticising him, so the untidier he looked, the happier she would be. **_

_**All too soon, there was a crunch of gravel outside as Uncle Vernon's car pulled into the driveway, then the clunk of the car doors, and footsteps on the garden path. **_

_**"Get the door!" Aunt Petunia hissed at Harry. **_

_**A feeling of great gloom in his stomach, Harry pulled the door open. **_

"Just ignore her and keep out of her way as much as possible, Harry," said Sirius.

_**On the threshold stood Aunt Marge. She was very like Uncle Vernon; large, beefy and purple-faced, she even had a moustache, though not as bushy as his. **_

"How attractive…" Lucius said while shuddering in disgust.

"Eww…." Was the others reaction and both walrus siblings squirmed offended.

**In one hand she held an enormous suitcase, and tucked under the other was an old and evil-tempered bulldog. **

**"Where's my Dudders?" roared Aunt Marge. "Where's my neffy-poo?" **

They all burst out laughing, for James had used a mocking high-pitched voice to repeat what Aunt Marge had said which made the others laugh more hysterically and they parents in front of the door look at eachother worriedly.

_**Dudley came waddling down the hall, his blonde hair plastered to his fat head, a bow-tie just visible under his many chins. **_

"That is not a flattering description about my family." Petunia commented.

"Well, face it this is your future."

_**Aunt Marge thrust the suitcase into Harry's stomach, knocking the wind out of him, **_

They all glared at the book.

_**seized Dudley in a tight one-armed hug and planted a large kiss on his cheek. **_

_**Harry knew perfectly well that Dudley only put up with Aunt Marge's hugs because he was well paid for it, and sure enough, when they broke apart, Dudley had a crisp twenty-pound note clutched in his fat fist. **_

"What a brat," they all said in unison.

_**"Petunia!" shouted Aunt Marge, striding past Harry as though he was a hat-stand. **_

_**Aunt Marge and Aunt Petunia kissed, or rather, Aunt Marge bumped her large jaw against Aunt Petunia's bony cheekbone. **_

_**Uncle Vernon now came in, smiling jovially as he shut the door. **_

_**"Tea, Marge?" he said. "And what will Ripper take?" **_

"I usually like doggs, but oh do you have that mut already?" Sirius asked and from Marge's frightened look he guessed yes. "Brilliant I'm giving him to Moony here by the next full moon." Sirius said grinning, they friends didn't know, but Padfoot could rather easily convince Moony to everything.

_**"Ripper can have some tea out of my saucer,"**_

"Ewww…." Even Petunia looked disgusted at the thought.

_**said Aunt Marge, as they all trooped into the kitchen, leaving Harry alone in the hall with the suitcase. **_

_**But Harry wasn't complaining; any excuse not to be with Aunt Marge was fine by him, so he began to heave the case upstairs into the spare bedroom, taking as long as he could. **_

_**By the time he got beck to the kitchen, Aunt Marge had been supplied with tea and fruitcake and Ripper was lapping noisily in the corner. **_

"I don't like that mut." Sirius said again. "And I'm a dog Animagus…"

_**Harry saw Aunt Petunia wince slightly as specks of tea and drool flecked her clean floor. Aunt Petunia hated animals. **_

At that Lily looked up at her sister in confusion.

"Uhm…Petunia…." She said.

"But….I loked Princess our golden retriever…." She said confused.

_**"Who's looking after the other dogs, Marge?" Uncle Vernon asked. **_

_**"Oh, I've got Colonel Fubuster managing them," boomed Aunt Marge. "He's retired now, good for him to have something to do. But I couldn't leave poor old Ripper. He pines if he's away from me." **_

"You should have left him home!" snarled James.

_**Ripper began to growl again as Harry sat down. **_

Sirius turned into his Animagus form and growled at the book. Then he changed back making three certain people squirm in panic again about the abnormal sight of a person turning in to an animal and back.

_**This directed Aunt Marge's attention to Harry for the first time. **_

_**"So!" she barked. "Still here, are you?" **_

_**"Yes," said Harry. **_

_**"Don't you say 'yes' in that ungrateful tone," Aunt Marge growled. "It's damn good of Vernon and Petunia to keep you. **_

"Maybe, but they could be nicer to Harry!" snapped Lily.

_**Wouldn't have done it myself. You'd have gone straight to an orphanage if you'd been dumped on **__**my**__** doorstep." **_

"Dumbledore had a stroke of senility at the moment he put Harry on they dorstep of them…." Remus said as he was also tempted to hex the three Dursleys or two and one future Dursley in to oblivion, even his own father was better then them.

_**Harry was bursting to say that he'd rather live in an orphanage than with the Dursleys, but the thought of the Hogsmeade form stopped him. **_

_**He forced his face into a painful smile. **_

_**"Don't you smirk at me!" boomed Aunt Marge. **_

"Would you rather have him scowl at you?" demanded Remus furiously.

_**"I can see you haven't improved since I last saw you. **_

"Actualy he has becouse he knows now where he truly belongs and where he has actually people who care."

_**I hoped school would knock some manners into you." **_

_**She took a large gulp of tea, wiped her moustache and said, "Where is it that you send him, again, Vernon?" **_

"Harry isn't sent anywhere, he attends Hogwarts!" snappeed Sirius.

_**"St. Brutus's," said Uncle Vernon promptly. "It's a first-rate institution for hopeless cases." **_

"Really?" inquired Peter.

"Then why are you lot not there?" Rosier asked grinning.

_**"I see," said Aunt Marge. "Do they use the cane at St Brutus's, boy?" she barked across the table. **_

"His name is Harry!" snapped Lily. "So use it!"

_**"Er -" **_

_**Uncle Vernon nodded curtly behind Aunt Marge's back. **_

_**"Yes," said Harry. Then, feeling he might as well do the thing properly, he added, "All the time." **_

_**"Excellent," said Aunt Marge. "I won't have this namby-pamby, wishy-washy nonsense about not hitting people who deserve it. **_

"Harry doesn't deserve to be hit!" snarled Lily. "You do!"

_**A good thrashing is what is needed ninety-nine cases out of a hundred. **_

"No it is not, ok spanking if it really needed one or two times, but not trashing." Severus growled hateredly who got often punished that way from his father for existing.

_**Have **__**you**__** been beaten often?" **_

Severus growled and the others looked at him sympathically.

_**"Oh, yeah," said Harry, "loads of times." **_

_**Aunt Marge narrowed her eyes. **_

_**"I still don't like your tone, boy," she said**_**. **

They all glared at the book.

_**"If you can speak of your beatings in that casual way, they clearly aren't hitting you hard enough. Petunia, I'd write if I were you. Make it clear that you approve the use of extreme force in this boy's case." **_

James looked as if he was about to explode and the others weren't far behind.

"Filthy Muggle scum if it would be allowed to the boy to use magic outside school I would suggest a five nasty curses those two are perfect practicing targets they are so fat you can't mis." Bella said grinning.

_**Perhaps Uncle Vernon was worried that Harry might forget their bargain; in any case, he changed the subject abruptly. **_

_**"Heard the news this morning, Marge? What about that escaped prisoner, eh?" **_

_**As Aunt Marge started to make herself at home, Harry caught himself thinking almost longingly of life at number four without her. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia usually encouraged Harry to stay out of their way, which Harry was only too happy to do. **_

_**Aunt Marge, on the other hand, wanted Harry under her eye at all times, so that she could boom out suggestions for his improvement. **_

"There's nothing wrong with Harry, so he doesn't need it!" snapped Lily.

_**She delighted in comparing Harry with Dudley, and took huge pleasure in buying Dudley expensive presents while glaring at Harry, as though daring him to ask why he hadn't got a present too. **_

"Harry probably won't want any present you give him!' snapped Siirus.

_**She also kept throwing dark hints about what made Harry such an unsatisfactory person. **_

"Oh really…." James asked in a strange tone, wandhand twiching again.

_**"You mustn't blame yourself for the way the boy's turned out, Vernon," she said over lunch on the third day. "If there's something rotten on the **__**inside**__**, there's nothing anyone can do about it." **_

"What in Merlin's name is that supposed to mean?" asked an angry and slightly mystified James and Lily while Marge paled.

_**Harry tried to concentrate on his food, but his hands shook and his face was starting to burn with anger. **__**Remember the form**__**, he told himself. **__**Think about Hogsmeade. Don't say anything. Don't rise - **_

_**Aunt Marge reached for her glass of wine. **_

_**"It's one of the basic rules of breeding," she said. "You see it all the time with dogs. **_

"Oh, yeah, dogs and children are smilar…so wise…" Narcissa said sarcastically.

_**If there's something wrong with the bitch, there'll be something wrong with the pup-" **_

"HOW DARE YOU!" shouted Lily. "I DON'T LIKE BEING COMPARED TO A FEMALE DOG, AND THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH ME!"

"MARGE SHE MIGHT BE A FREAK, BUT MY SISTER IS NOT A DOG!" Petunia shouted to everyones surprise, but Lily was to much in rage to hear anything she pointed her wand at Marge and everyone thought she was really going to shout Curciatus, but anstead broke everyone out laughing.

Marge got seperated from Vernon and Petunia who were staring at her in horror even if Petunia a bit les horrorfied, Marge was still cowered in yellow canary feathers, but she had large elephant ears with a matching long nose, cow howes anstead of hands and feet and a monkey tail. She looked horrorfied.

"And be happy that you got away with that." Lily growled as she sat down.

_**At that moment, the wine glass Aunt Marge was holding exploded in her hand. Shards of glass flew in every direction and Aunt Marge spluttered and blinked, her ruddy face dripping. **_

They all burst out laughing.

_**"Marge!" squealed Aunt Petunia. "Marge, are you all right?" **_

_**"Not to worry," grunted Aunt Marge, mopping her face with her napkin. "Must have squeezed it too hard. Did the same thing at Colonel Fubuster's the other day. No need to fuss, Petunia, I have a very firm grip..." **_

"Good, they shouldn't blame Harry then," said Peter.

_**But Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon were both looking at Harry suspiciously, so he decided he'd better skip pudding and escape from the table as soon as he could. **_

"Good thinking!" exclaimed Remus.

_**Outside in the hall, he leaned against the wall, breathing deeply. It had been a long time since he'd lost control and made something explode. **_

_**He couldn't afford to let it happen again. The Hogsmeade form wasn't the only thing at stake - if he carried on like that, he'd be in trouble with the Ministry of Magic. **_

_**Harry was still an underage wizard, and he was forbidden by wizard law to do magic outside school.**_

"An absolutely useles law if you ask me." Bella said.

_**His record wasn't exactly clean, either. Only last summer he'd got an official warning which had stated quite clearly that if the Ministry got wind of any more magic in Privet Drive, Harry would face expulsion from Hogwarts. **_

"What?" Andromeda asked shocked while ignoring the frightened yelp from Rudolphus when little Dora crawled in his lap.

"That wasn't him he was wisited from our house elf Doby." Lucius explained.

_**He heard the Dursleys leaving the table and hurried upstairs out of the way. **_

_**Harry got through the next three days by forcing himself to think about his **__**Handbook of Do-it-Yourself Broomcare **__**whenever Aunt Marge started on him. This worked quite well, though it seemed to give him a glazed look, because Aunt Marge started voicing the opinion that he was mentally subnormal. **_

"It's a miracle he's not they way you people have raised him!" snapped Lily.

_**At last, at long last, the final evening of Marge's stay arrived. **_

Everyone cheered loudly at this.

_**Aunt Petunia cooked a fancy dinner and Uncle Vernon uncorked several bottles of wine. They got all the way through the soup and the salmon without a single mention of Harry's faults; during the lemon meringue pie, Uncle Vernon bored them all with a long talk about Grunnings, his drill making company; **_

"Sweet Merlin not those damned drills again!" everyone groaned and in front of the door was Mr. Evans desperately trying to explain the confused wizards and witches what drills were.

_**then Aunt Petunia made coffee and Uncle Vernon brought out a bottle of brandy. **_

_**"Can I tempt you, Marge?" **_

_**Aunt Marge had already had rather a lot of wine. Her huge face was very red. **_

"Drunk in front of children…" Severus snapped angrily.

_**"Just a small one, then," she chuckled. "A bit more than that... and a bit more... that's the boy." **_

_**Dudley was eating his fourth slice of pie. Aunt Petunia was sipping coffee with her little finger sticking out. Harry really wanted to disappear into his bedroom, but he met Uncle Vernon's angry little eyes and knew he would have to sit it out. **_

_**"Aah," said Aunt Marge, smacking her lips and putting the empty brandy glass down. "Excellent nosh, Petunia. It's normally just a fry-up for me of an evening, with twelve dogs to look after..." **_

_**She burped richly and patted her great tweed stomach. **_

"Attractive," muttered Remus.

_**"Pardon me. But I do like to see a healthy-sized boy," she went on, winking at Dudley.**_

"No this is the healthy size for an elephant or a whale or even for a troll or gigant, but not for a human." Molly pointed out.

_**"You'll be a proper sized man, Dudders, like your father.**_

Everyone snorted at this.

_**Yes, I'll have a spot more brandy, Vernon..." **_

_**"Now, this one here-" **_

_**She jerked her head at Harry, who felt his stomach clench. **_

"Leave my son…" James growled.

_**The Handbook**_**, **_**he thought quickly. **_

_**"This one's got a mean, runty look about him. You get that with dogs. **_

"Could the woman stop comapring Harry with dogs?" demanded an exasperated and angry Remus.

_**I had Colonel Fubuster drown one last year. Ratty little thing it was. Weak. Underbred." **_

Sirius growled in anger then turned with a saddistic grin, which made Bella smile proudly at her cousin, at Marge who looked about to pass out from fear.

_**Harry was trying to remember page twelve of his book: **__**A Charm to Cure Reluctant Reversers. **_

_**"It all comes down to blood, as I was saying the other day. Bad blood will out. Now, I'm saying nothing against your family, Petunia" - she patted Aunt Petunia's bony hand with her shovel-like one, "but your sister was a bad egg. **_

"HEY!" stormed James. "DON'T EVEN THINK OF INSULTING MY LILY! SHE'S PERFECT IN EVERY WAY!" Lily blushed.

_**They turn up in the best of families. Then she ran off with a wastrel and here's the result right in front of us." **_

"DON'T INSULT MY FAMILY!" James yelled and they parents started debating worriedly if they should go inside or not.

_**Harry was staring at his plate, a funny ringing in his ears. **_

"That's not good," said Lily in a worried voice. "Harry, ignore her."

_**Grasp your broom firmly by the tail,**__** he thought. But he couldn't remember what came next. Aunt Marge's voice seemed to be boring into him like one of Uncle Vernon's drills. **_

_**"This Potter," said Aunt Marge loudly, seizing the brandy bottle and splashing more into her glass and over the tablecloth, "you never told me what he did?" **_

"I ofcourse will be an Auror." James said grinning proudly.

_**Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia were looking extremely tense. Dudley even looked up from his pie to gape at his parents. **_

_**"He - didn't work," said Uncle Vernon, with half a glance at Harry. "Unemployed." **_

"Hey Auror is a rather hard job to do." James snapped.

"W…what is an Auror?" at the everyone looked up shocked at Petunia, even Vernon stared at her shocked.

"Well uhm…it is some sort of a combination between a policeman, a detective and a secret agent." Lily explained to her sister.

_**"As I expected," said Aunt Marge, **_

_**taking a huge swig of brandy and wiping her chin on her sleeve. "A no-account, good-for-nothing, lazy scrounger who -" **_

"Leave James alone!" Peter yelled angrily.

_**"He was not," said Harry suddenly. **_

"Harry, please don't," said James. "We're not worth you not being able to visit Hogsmeade."

_**The table went very quiet. Harry was shaking all over. He had never felt so angry in his life. **_

"Ugh…we will soon witnes the combinated power of the combination of the Lily and Potter temperament…" Sirius said flinching and most members of the group shuddered.

_**"MORE BRANDY!" yelled Uncle Vernon, who had gone very white. He emptied the bottle into Aunt Marge's glass. "You, boy," he snarled at Harry. "Go to bed, go on-" **_

"Yes, Harry, go to bed," said Lily. "Please don't do anything stupid or you lose the slim chance of getting your form signed."

_**"No, Vernon," hiccoughed Aunt Marge, holding up a hand, her tiny bloodshot eyes fixed on Harry's. "Go on, boy, go on. Proud of your parents, are you? They go and get themselves killed in a car crash (drunk, I expect)-" **_

"One, we didn't die in a car crash, and two, we don't go around drinking and driving!" yelled James in anger, he was definiately not a drinker he knew perfectly when to stop.

_**"They didn't die in a car crash!" said Harry, who found himself on his feet. **_

_**"They died in a car crash, you nasty little liar, and left you to be a burden on their decent, hardworking relatives!" screamed Aunt Marge, swelling with fury. "You are an insolent, ungrateful little -" **_

"He is not!" retorted Lily furiously.

_**But Aunt Marge suddenly stopped speaking. **_

"At last," muttered James.

_**For a moment, it looked as though words had failed her. **_

"Thank Merlin," said Remus.

"Uhm…wow…" Frank commented before starting reading again.

_**She seemed to be swelling with inexpressible anger- but the swelling didn't stop. **_

"Harry's actually is inflating his aunt!" exclaimed Sirius as he fell backwards and started laughing together with the others.

_**Her great red face started to expand, her tiny eyes bulged and her mouth stretched too tightly for speech. Next second, several buttons burst from her tweed jacket and pinged off the walls- **_

_**she was inflating like a monstrous balloon, her stomach bursting free of her tweed waistband, each of her fingers blowing up like a salami .. **_

Everyone feelt they sides hurt from all the laughing, but they couldn't stop.

_**"MARGE!" yelled Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia together, as Aunt Marge's whole body began to rise off her chair towards the ceiling. **_

_**She was entirely round, now, like a vast life buoy with piggy eyes, and her hands and feet stuck out weirdly as she drifted up into the air, making apoplectic popping noises. Ripper came skidding into the room, barking madly. **_

_**"NOOOOOOO!" **_

_**Uncle Vernon seized one of Marge's feet and tried to pull her down again, but was almost lifted from the floor himself.**_

"Wow did he lose a ton int hat week?" Aractus asked sarcastically, lists all around him.

_**Next second, Ripper had leapt forward and sunk his teeth into Uncle Vernon's leg. **_

At this a new laughing fit swept over the group.

_**Harry tore from the dining room before anyone could stop him, heading for the cupboard under the stairs. The cupboard door burst magically open as he reached it. In seconds, he heaved his trunk to the front door. **_

"But where could he go?" Alice asked worriedly, Harry1s two best friends were out of the land.

_**He sprinted upstairs and threw himself under the bed, wrenched up the loose floorboard and grabbed the pillowcase full of books and birthday presents. He wriggled out, seized Hedwig's empty cage and dashed back downstairs to his trunk, just as Uncle Vernon bust out of the dining room, his trouser leg in bloody tatters. **_

_**"COME BACK IN HERE! he bellowed. "COME BACK AND PUT HER RIGHT!" **_

"I don't think Harry knows how to," Lily said.

_**But a reckless rage had come over Harry. He kicked his trunk open, pulled out his wand and pointed it at Uncle Vernon. **_

_**"She deserved it," Harry said, breathing very fast. "She deserved what she got. You keep away from me." **_

_**He fumbled behind him for the catch on the door. **_

"Reminds me on your departure Sirius." Bella pointed out.

"Yes, but I knew that James was already waiting for me in they garden." He answered.

_**"I'm going," Harry said. "I've had enough." **_

_**And the next moment, he was out in the dark, quiet street, heaving his heavy trunk behind him, Hedwig's cage under his arm. **_

"So this was the end of the chapter wo wants to read next?" Frank asked uneasily, no child should run around alone in the night.

"I will read the next chapter." Remus said as he took the book from Frank.

"Ok and after Moony I will read." James said.

"Hey guys I think we don't need to worry so much." Remus said with a relieved smile.

"What do you mean?"

"The next title is _**The Knight Bus**_." He read and everyone sighed in relief.

_To be continued…_


	4. Painful truth or lye

IV. Painful truth or a lye, The _Knight __Bus _

* * *

Remus was about to read when Sirius suddenly stood up from his sitting place.

"Paddy where are you going?" James asked his friend confused as the other walked a bit away from them.

"I'm getting my two most dirtiest socks if they will be needed and I'm sure they will be needed." He said grinning as he threw green powder in to the fireplace, the flames turning green before Sirius jumped inside giving the three Muggles nearly a heart attack.

* * *

The fireplace on the second floor of Grimwauld Place 12 roared and a black haired boy stepped outside. Dusting himself down Sirius shuddered, he hated to be here.

"Good the damned elf is cleaning the kitchen Regulus is probably Merlin knows where and now I will only enter my room and get the container with my socks. I grab them and…"

"Sirius?" said boy stopped death in his tracks as he opened the door o his old bedroom which looked perfectly untouched since he left expect the source which was currently laying on his bed and looking at him with grey eyes after saying his name.

"Re…Regulus what are you doing in here?" Sirius asked his five years old little brother shocked.

"Sirius." Regulus said happily as he run up to the older boy nearly knocking the both f them to the ground. "You come back home." He said happily.

"Wha…what…erm…no I only com to get my "best" socks with the container then I go back to the others I want to continue with the book." Sirius said still confused at his little brother's behavior.

"Oh…" Regulus said sounding somewhat disappointed, but then he suddenly looked up in shock "…wait YOU want to READ?" he asked shocked.

"Yes Reg and now let me go I want to get the socks." Sirius said as he pushed the child away and made his way to a safe which contained a metal box, taking it out he suddenly noticed Regulus scribbling something on a parchment happily.

"What are you doing?"

"I1m writing a nitice to Kreecher so that he can tell mom and dad where I'm is someone from our family there then they wouldn't be happy to read your name."

"Erm…Cissa, Bella and Dromeda are there together with aunt Druella and uncle Cygnus." Sirius said.

"Great those two will be great now we can go." Regulus said grinning as he grabbed his brother's hand.

"Erm…what…absolutely not!" Sirius started, but Regulus was out of the door already. "Really, was he always this frustrating…" Sirius sighed as he walked after his brother.

* * *

Everyone was looking at the fireplace as suddenly two blackheads stepped out.

"Regulus?" asked the three Black sisters at the sight of they baby cousin.

"Hay!" Regulus said smiling happily.

"I couldn't stop him…so everyone who doesn't know him this is my little brother Regulus and Reg these are James, I'm living at the moment by him, Remus, Peter, Frank, Arthur, Molly, Alice, Lily, Evan, Aractus, Severus, those to are Lucius he is Cissa's boyfriend and the horrified one on the couch is Rudolphus he is Bella's those three Muggles are not important, but Lily is sadly the younger sister of that blond up there and that little girl there is Dromeda's daughter so our baby cousin Dora." Sirius said as he lead Regulus to the couch where he immediately took the place beside the giggling girl and grinned at the paling Rudolphus.

"He really has no clue what to do if faced with a little child." Bella groaned and her sister patted her on the back sympathically.

"He will grow eventually out of it." She said.

"By the ay Sirius did you get the socks?" Rosier asked while he taped Rudolphus.

"Yes in the metal box." Sirius answered as he pointed behind him where a metallic box stood in front of the fireplace.

"Well then Remus start reading finally." James said grinning.

"Ok."

_**Harry was several streets away before he collapsed onto a low wall in Magnolia Crescent, panting from the effort of dragging his trunk. He sat quite still, anger still surging through him, listening to the frantic thumping of his heart. **_

_**But after ten minutes alone in the dark street, a new emotion overtook him: panic. Whichever way he looked at it, he had never been in a worse fix. He was stranded, quite alone, in the dark Muggle world, with absolutely nowhere to go. And the worst of it was, he had just done serious magic, which meant that he was almost certainly expelled from Hogwarts. **_

"Don't worry Harry you will not get expelled." James said.

"What did he do?" Regulus asked couriously.

"He inflanted his aunt who spoke bad about James and Lily becouse hates magic." Sirius explained.

"Then she deserved it." Regulus answered nodding, he would hurt the prson talking bad about his family without ev en knowing them.

_**He had broken the Decree for the Restriction of Underage Wizardry so badly, he was surprised Ministry of Magic representatives weren't swooping down on him where he sat. **_

_**Harry shivered and looked up and down Magnolia Crescent. What was going to happen to him? Would he be arrested, or would he simply be outlawed from the wizarding world?**_

"That would never happen, it would be to dangerous to ban a wizard or a witch from our wold it could become a disaster." Lucius said.

_**He thought of Ron and Hermione, and his heart sank even lower. Harry was sure that, criminal or not, Ron and Hermione would want to help him now, but they were both abroad, and with Hedwig gone, he had no means of contacting them. **_

_**He didn't have any Muggle money, either. There was a little wizard gold in the moneybag at the bottom of his trunk, but the rest of the fortune his parents had left him was stored in a vault at Gringotts Wizarding Bank in London. **_

_**He'd never be able to drag his trunk all the way to London. Unless ... He looked down at his wand, which he was still clutching in his hand. **_

_**If he was already expelled (his heart was now thumping painfully fast), a bit more magic couldn't hurt. **_

"But you don't know if you are expelled yet, Harry," said Remus before he continued reading.

_**He had the Invisibility Cloak he had inherited from his father- what if he bewitched the trunk to make it feather-light, tied it to his broomstick, covered himself in the Cloak and flew to London? **_

"Sirius ha that plan also one time before he moved out." Regulus chimed in and everyone was now staring at Sirius.

"Oh no, he has only know you for onle year and your bad infulence already set through!" Lily groaned while the others snickered.

_**Then he could get the rest of his money out of his vault and... begin his life as an outcast. **_

_**It was a horrible prospect, but he couldn't sit on this wall for ever or he'd find himself trying to explain to the Muggle police why he was out in the dead of night with a trunkful of spellbooks and a broomstick. **_

_**Harry opened his trunk again and pushed the contents aside, looking for the Invisibility Cloak- but before he had found it, he straightened up suddenly, looking around him once more. A funny prickling on the back of his neck had made Harry feel he was being watched, but the street appeared to be deserted,**_

Everyone stared nervously at the book, but Remus only looked confused.

**and no lights shone from any of the large square houses. **

**He bent over his trunk again, but almost immediately stood up once more, his hand clenched on his wand. He had sensed rather than heard it: someone or something was standing in the narrow gap between the garage and the fence behind him. **

**Harry squinted at the black alleyway. If only it would move, then he'd know whether it was just a stray cat or - something else. **

**"**_**Lumos**_**," Harry muttered, and a light appeared at the end of his wand, almost dazzling him. He held it high over his head, and the pebble-dashed walls of number two suddenly sparkled; the garage door gleamed, and between them, Harry saw, quite distinctly, the hulking outline of something very big, with wide, gleaming eyes. **

"Hmm…could be someones dog."

_**Harry stepped backwards. His legs hit his trunk and he tripped. His wand flew out of his hand as he flung out an arm to break his fall, and he landed, hard, in the gutter. **_

"Ouch," they all said, wincing.

_**There was a deafening BANG and Harry threw up his hands to shield his eyes against a sudden blinding light... **_

"Oh, it was Harry's wand arm and the Bus come." James said grinning relieved.

_**With a yell, he rolled back onto the pavement, just in time. A second later, a gigantic pair of wheels and headlights had screeched to a halt exactly where Harry had just been lying. **_

"Still the same driver then," said Sirius, wincing.

"Looks like it…" Frank commented.

"Sometimes I would like to know just who gave him that damned driving license." Lucius asked with his arms on his hips.

_**They belonged, as Harry saw when he raised his head, to a triple decker, violently purple bus, which had appeared out of thin air. Gold lettering over the windscreen spelled The Knight Bus. **_

_**For a split second, Harry wondered if he had been knocked silly by his fall. Then a conductor in a purple uniform leapt out of the bus and began to speak loudly to the night. **_

_**"Welcome to the Knight Bus, emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard. Just stick out your wand hand, step on board and we can take you anywhere you want to go. My name is Stan Shunpike, and I will be your conductor this eve-" **_

"Stan's spech is also the same as always." Arthur said.

"I like that guy." Rosier commented grinning.

"You would he is as crazy as you…" Flint growled at the grinning blunet.

_**The conductor stopped abruptly. He had just caught sight of Harry, who was still sitting on the ground. Harry snatched up his wand again and scrambled to his feet. Close to, he saw that Stan Shunpike was only a few years older than he was; eighteen or nineteen at most, with large, protruding ears and a fair few pimples. **_

_**"What were you doin' down there?" said Stan, dropping his professional manner. **_

_**"Fell over," said Harry. **_

_**"'Choo fall over for?" sniggered Stan. **_

_**"I didn't do it on purpose," said Harry, annoyed. **_

"Stan sounds a bit low on the intelligence scale," said James, raising a brow.

_**One of the knees in his jeans was torn, and the hand he had thrown out to break his fall was bleeding. **_

"You should do smething with that." Andromeda said.

"I agree with her Harry." Lily said.

_**He suddenly remembered why he had fallen over, and turned around quickly to stare at the alleyway between the garage and the fence. The Knight Bus's headlamps were flooding it with light, and it was empty. **_

"The bus would have scared it off," said Remus.

_**"'Choo lookin' at?" said Stan. **_

_**"There was a big black thing," said Harry, pointing uncertainly into the gap. "Like a dog... but massive..." **_

_**He looked around at Stan, whose mouth was slightly open. With a feeling of unease, Harry saw Stan's eyes move to the scar on Harry's forehead. **_

_**"Woss that on your 'ead?" said Stan abruptly. **_

_**"Nothing," said Harry quickly, flattening his hair over his scar. If the Ministry of Magic was looking for him, he didn't want to make it too easy for them. **_

_**"Woss your name?" Stan persisted. **_

_**"Neville Longbottom," said Harry, saying the first name that came into his head. **_

"You can use our son1s name for this ride Harry." Frank said.

"Yes I don't want to think what would have happened if he said his reall name."

"Why?" Regulus asked.

"Becouse h is famous."

"Ok." Regulus answered as he tickled Tonk.

_**"So - so this bus," he went on quickly, hoping to distract Stan, "did you say it goes anywhere?" **_

_**"Yep," said Stan proudly, "anywhere you like, long's it's on land. Can't do nuffink underwater. 'Ere," he said, looking suspicious again, "you **__**did**__** flag us down, dincha? Stuck out your wand 'and, dincha?" **_

_**"Yes," said Harry quickly. "Listen, how much would it be to get to London?" **_

_**"Eleven Sickles," said Stan, "but for firteen you get 'ot chocolate, and for fifteen you get an 'ot water bottle an' a toofbrush in the colour of your choice." **_

"That's...nice," everyone said while trying desperately not to laugh.

_**Harry rummaged once more in his trunk, extracted his money bag and shoved some silver into Stan's hand. He and Stan then lifted his trunk, with Hedwig's cage balanced on top, up the steps of the bus. **_

_**There were no seats; instead, half-a-dozen brass bedsteads stood beside the curtained windows. Candles were burning in brackets beside each bed, illuminating the wood-panelled walls. A tiny wizard in a nightcap at the rear of the bus muttered, "Not now, thanks, I'm pickling some slugs," and rolled over in his sleep. **_

_**"You 'ave this one," Stan whispered, shoving Harry's trunk under the bed right behind the driver, who was sitting in an armchair in front of the steering wheel. **_

_**"This is our driver, Ernie Prang. **_

"Yep, it is still him."

_**This is Neville Longbottom, Ern." **_

_**Ernie Prang, an elderly wizard wearing very thick glasses, nodded to Harry, who nervously flattened his fringe again and sat down on his bed. **_

_**"Take 'er away, Ern," said Stan, sitting down in the armchair next to Ernie's. **_

_**There was another tremendous BANG, and next moment Harry found himself flat on his bed, thrown backwards by the speed of the Knight Bus. **_

"And this is the ground why I would like to know who gave him the license to drive like a mad man." Lucius said.

_**Pulling himself up. Harry stared out of the dark window and saw that they were now bowling along a completely different street. **_

_**Stan was watching Harry's stunned face with great enjoyment. **_

_**"This is where we was before you flagged us down," he said. "Where are we, Ern? Somewhere in Wales?" **_

_**"Ar," said Ernie. **_

_**"How come the Muggles don't hear the bus?" said Harry. **_

_**"Them!" said Stan contemptuously. "Don' listen properly do they? Don' look properly either. Never notice nuffink, they don'" **_

_**"Best go wake up Madam Marsh, Stan," said Ern. "We'll be in Abergavenny in a minute." **_

_**Stan passed Harry's bed and disappeared up a narrow wooden staircase. Harry was still looking out of the window, feeling increasingly nervous. Ernie didn't seem to have mastered the use of a steering wheel. **_

"Well, he hasn't in our time," said Peter, shuddering. "I don't think he ever will."

_**The Knight Bus kept mounting the pavement, but it didn't hit anything; lines of lamp posts, letter-boxes and bins jumped out of its way as it approached and back into position once it had passed. **_

_**Stan came back downstairs, followed by a faintly green witch wrapped in a travelling cloak. **_

"You need a good stomach to drive with the Knight Bus." Narcissa said. "Bella got also rather often bus-sick." She said ignoring her sister's glare while Sirius's tried not to grin or laugh.

_**"'Ere you go, Madam Marsh," said Stan happily, as Ern stamped in the brake and the beds slid a foot or so towards the front of the bus. Madam Marsh clamped a handkerchief to her mouth and tottered down the steps. Stan threw her bag out after her and rammed the door shut; there was another loud BANG, and they were thundering down a narrow country lane, trees leaping out of the way. **_

_**Harry wouldn't have been able to sleep even if he had been travelling on a bus that didn't keep banging loudly and jumping a hundred miles at a time. His stomach churned as he fell back to wondering what was going to happen to him, and whether the Dursleys had managed to get Aunt Marge off the ceiling yet. **_

"The Ministry of Magic would have fixed things by now," said Remus.

_**Stan had unfolded a copy of the **__**Daily**__**Prophet**__** and was now reading with his tongue between his teeth. A large photograph of a sunken-faced man with long, matted hair blinked slowly at Harry from the front page. He looked strangely familiar. **_

_**"That man!" Harry said, forgetting his troubles for a moment. "He was on the Muggle news!" **_

_**Stanley turned to the front page and chuckled. **_

Remus suddenly stopped, his hands trembling and eyes widening in fear as he looked at Sirius.

"Moony what is wrong?" Sirius asked his friend as the other put the book down and flung himself at him hugging the other. "Erm…Remy what is wrong?" Sirius asked now really concerned.

"Erm…guys please don't interrupt me now then I will read now the part which…ugh…just listen." Lucius said as he picked the book up and read what made Remus act like this.

_**"Sirius Black," he said, nodding. **_

_**"'Course 'e was on the Muggle news, Neville. Where you been?" **_

_**He gave a superior sort of smile at the blank look on Harry's face, removed the front page and handed it to Harry. **_

_**"You oughta read the papers more, Neville." **_

_**Harry held the paper up to the candlelight and read: **_

_**BLACK STILL AT LARGE **_

_**Sirius Black, possibly the most infamous prisoner ever to be held in Azkaban fortress, is still eluding capture, the Ministry of Magic confirmed today. **_

_**"We are doing all we can to recapture Black," said the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, this morning, and we beg the magical community to remain calm." **_

_**Fudge has been criticized by some members of the International Federation of Warlocks for informing the Muggle Prime Minister of the crisis. **_

_**"Well, really, I had to, don't you know," said an irritable Fudge. "Black is mad. He's a danger to anyone who crosses him, magic or Muggle. I have the Prime Minister's assurance that he will not breathe a word of Black's true identity to anyone. And let's face it- who'd believe him if he did?" **_

_**While Muggles have been told that Black is carrying a gun (a kind of metal wand which Muggles use to kill each other), the magical community lives in fear of a massacre like that of twelve years ago, when Black murdered thirteen people with a single curse. **_

Lucius finished as the room was filled with death silence and then…

"WHAAAT!!"

"SIRIUS ESCAPED OUT OF AZKABAN AFTER TWELVE YEARS!!"

"THAT CAN'T BE HIM SIRIUS WOULD NEVER DO THAT!!" everyone screamed and the parents were now staring at each other worried and confused, just what the heck were the kids reading in there?

Back in the room was averyone breathing heavily after they outbusts.

"Sirius didn't do this, my big brother isn't like that." Regulus said in a determinded tone.

"I agree with Regulus Sirius isn't that type, I see myself more int hat role then him." Bellatrix said and the tree Muggle's were near fainting.

"Yes he is to much like my little brother he would have nerver done such a thing." Phineas said.

"Sirius is my best mate and I know he would never to such a thing ok he is somewhat crazy and doesn't think to much when making a prank plan so he was surely framed just like Voldy framed Hagrid." James said.

"Thnks guys for trusting me." Sirius said smiling.

"Remus, can you continue?" Lucius asked and when the other nodded he handed him the book.

_**Harry looked into the shadowed eyes of Sirius Black, the only part of his sunken face that seemed alive. **_

"My beautiful face is WHAT!" Sirius screamed in horror while the others chuckled at this.

"Well twelve years in Azkaban can do wonders." Andromeda said sarcastically.

_**Harry had never met a vampire, but he had seen pictures of them in his Defense Against the Dark Arts classes, and Black, with his waxy white skin, looked just like one. **_

"I DON'T LOOK LIKE A VAMPIRE!! I'M THE COUSE FOR THE SLEEPLESS NIGHTS OF MANY GIRLS AND I WILL LOOK HORRIBLE!!" Sirius wailed in frustration and now really everyone broke out laughing while outside the door were at the moment Abraxas and Alphonse held back by the others to storm inside the room to see just what was wrong again.

_**"Scary-lookin' fing, inee?" said Stan, who had been watching Harry read. **_

_**"He murdered **__**thirteen people?**__**" said Harry, handing the page back to Stan, "with **__**one curse?**__**" **_

_**"Yep," said Stan. "In front of witnesses an' all. Broad daylight. Big trouble it caused, dinnit, Ern?" **_

"Now it is sure that Black was framed even he isn't so tick to pull such a stant in broad daylight." Severus said and the others nodded.

_**"Ar," said Ernie darkly. **_

_**Stan swivelled in his armchair, his hands on the back, the better to look at Harry. **_

_**"Black woz a big supporter of You-Know-Oo," he said. **_

"WHAT?" roared Sirius, jumping to his feet.

"Sirius a Death Eater?" Bella asked while laughing "Yes and I'm actually a Muggle." She said as she wiped a tear from the cerner of her right eye. "Has that book more such funny jokes in it?"

_**"What, Voldemort?" said Harry, without thinking. **_

_**Even Stan's pimples went white; Ern jerked the steering wheel so hard that a whole farmhouse had to jump aside to avoid the bus. **_

_**"You outta your tree?" yelped Stan. "'Choo say 'is name for?" **_

_**"Sorry," said Harry hastily. "Sorry- I forgot-" **_

_**"Forgot!" said Stan weakly. "Blimey, me 'eart's goin' that fast..." **_

_**"So- so Black was a supporter of You-Know-Who?" Harry prompted apologetically. **_

"No," they all said firmly. Sirius looked grateful for the support.

_**"Yeah," said Stan, still rubbing his chest. **_

**Very close to You-Know-Oo, they say... **

"What a load of rubbish!" snapped the three Black sisters in defense for they cousin, they knew they cousin the best.

_**anyway, when little 'Arry Potter put paid to You-Know-'Oo" - Harry nervously flattened his fringe down again- "all You-Know-'Oo's supporters was tracked down, wasn't they, Ern? Most of 'em knew it was all over, wiv You-Know-'Oo gone, and they came quiet. But not Sirius Black. I 'eard he thought 'e'd be second-in-command once You-Know-'Oo 'ad taken over. **_

At this Bella broke out in a laughing fit again, yes his baby cousin who run away from home becouse he didn1t want to be a dark wizard becomes second-in-comand for the greatest dark wizard in the world.

_**"Anyway, they cornered Black in the middle of a street full of Mugles an' Black took out 'is wand and 'e blasted 'alf the street apart, an' a wizard got it, an' so did a dozen Muggles what got in the way. **_

"The wizard must have been a Death Eater then," said James.

"Yes he was probably in disguise and so no one suspected him to be a Death Eater." Alice said.

_**'Orrible, eh? An' you know what Black did then?" Stan continued in a dramatic whisper. **_

_**"What?" said Harry. **_

_**"**__**Laughed**__**," said Stan. "Jus' stood there an' laughed. **_

"That sounds like Sirius…" everyone commented.

"HEY!"

**An' when reinforcements from the Ministry of Magic got there, 'e went wiv 'em quiet as anyfink, still laughing 'is 'ead off. **

Everyone shook they heads in mock sorrow.

_**'Cos 'e's mad, inee, Ern? Inee mad?" **_

_**"If he weren't when he went to Azkaban, he will be now," said Ern in his slow voice. "I'd blow meself up before I set foot in that place. Serves him right, mind... after what he did..." **_

_**"They 'ad a job coverin' it up, din' they, Ern?" Stan said. "'Ole street blown up an' all them Muggles dead. What was it they said 'ad 'appened, Ern?" **_

_**"Gas explosion," grunted Ernie. **_

"Ok that is believeble for Muggles."

_**"An' now 'e's out," said Stan, examining the picture of Black's gaunt face again. "Never been a breakout from Azkaban before, 'as there, Ern? Beats me 'ow 'e did it. **_

"You know that this is really something Sirius." Flint said in an awed tone.

"Thanks, I would like to know how I got out there."

_**Frightenin', eh? Mind, I don't fancy 'is chances against them Azkaban guards, eh, Ern?" **_

_**Ernie suddenly shivered. **_

_**"Talk about summat else, Stan, there's a good lad. Them Azkaban guards give me the collywobbles." **_

Everyone shivered.

_**Stan put the paper away reluctantly and Harry leant against the window of the Knight Bus, feeling worse than ever. He couldn't help imagining what Stan might be telling his passengers in a few nights' time. **_

_**"'Ear about that 'Arry Potter? Blew up 'is aunt! We 'ad 'im 'ere on the Knight Bus, di'n't we, Ern? 'E was tryin' to run for it..." **_

_**He, Harry, had broken wizard law just like Sirius Black. Was inflating Aunt Marge bad enough to land him in Azkaban? **_

"No, it isn't!" said James.

_**Harry didn't know anything about the wizard prison, though everyone he'd ever heard speak of it did so in the same fearful tone. Hagrid, the Hogwarts gamekeeper, had spent two months there only last year. Harry wouldn't soon forget the look of terror on Hagrid's face when he had been told where he was going, and Hagrid was one of the bravest people Harry knew. **_

"Who would blame him? Dementors are horrible." Frank said.

"They are the guards you were telling Lily once back then." Petunia said carefully.

"Yes they are." Lily answered her sister.

_**The Knight Bus rolled through the darkness, scattering bushes and bollards, telephone boxes and trees, and Harry lay, restless and miserable, on his feather bed. After a while, Stan remembered that Harry had paid for hot chocolate, but poured it all over Harry's pillow when the bus moved abruptly from Anglesea to Aberdeen. **_

_**One by one, wizards and witches in dressing-gowns and slippers descended from the upper floors to leave the bus. They all looked very pleased to go. **_

"Anyone would be with that kind of driving!" said Sirius.

_**Finally, Harry was the only passenger left. **_

_**"Right then, Neville," said Stan, clapping his hands, "where-abouts in London?" **_

_**"Diagon Alley," said Harry. **_

_**"Righto," said Stan, "'old tight, then..." **_

_**BANG.**_

_**They were thundering along Charing Cross Road. Harry sat up and watched buildings and benches squeeze themselves out of the Knight Bus's way. The sky was getting a little lighter. He would lie low for a couple of hours, go to Gringotts the moment it opened, then set off- where, he didn't know. **_

"You will be staying at the Leaky Caulodron, young man," said Lily in a stern motherly voice.

_**Ern slammed on the brakes and the Knight Bus skidded to a halt in front of a small and shabby-looking pub, the Leaky Cauldron, behind which lay the magical entrance to Diagon Alley. **_

_**"Thanks," Harry said to Ern.**_

_**He jumped down the steps and helped Stan lower his trunk and Hedwig's cage onto the pavement. **_

_**"Well," said Harry, "bye then!" **_

_**But Stan wasn't paying attention. Still standing in the doorway to the bus, he was goggling at the shadowy entrance to the Leaky Cauldron. **_

_**"**__**There**__** you are, Harry," said a voice. **_

"Okey, who busted him?" James asked.

_**Before Harry could turn, he felt a hand on his shoulder. At the same time, Stan shouted, "Blimey! Ern, come 'ere! Come '**__**ere!**__**" **_

_**Harry looked up at the owner of the hand on his shoulder and he felt a bucketful of ice cascade into his stomach- he had walked right into Cornelius Fudge, the Minister for Magic himself. **_

"Harry can't be in THAT big trouble?"

_**Stan leapt onto the pavement beside them. **_

_**"What didja call Neville, Minister?" he said excitedly. **_

_**Fudge, a portly little man in a long, pinstriped cloak, looked cold and exhausted. **_

_**"Neville?" he repeated, frowning. "This is Harry Potter." **_

_**"I knew it!" Stan shouted gleefully**_**. **

"No, you didn't," said Lily crossly.

"Let him enjoy his illusion."

_**"Ern! Ern! Guess 'oo Neville is, Ern! 'E's 'Arry Potter! I can see 'is scar!" **_

_**"Yes," said Fudge testily. "Well, I'm very glad the Knight Bus picked Harry up, but he and I need to step inside the Leaky Cauldron now..." **_

_**Fudge increased the pressure on Harry's shoulder, and Harry found himself being steered inside the pub. **_

_**A stooping figure bearing a lantern appeared through the door behind the bar. It was Tom, the wizened, toothless landlord. **_

_**"You've got him, Minister!" said Tom. "Will you be wanting anything? Beer? Brandy?" **_

_**"Perhaps a pot of tea," said Fudge, who still hadn't let go of Harry. **_

_**There was a loud scraping and puffing from behind them, and Stan and Ern appeared, carrying Harry's trunk and Hedwig's cage and looking around excitedly. **_

_**"'Ow come you di'n't tell us 'oo you are, eh, Neville?" said Stan, beaming at Harry, while Ernie's owlish face peered interestedly over Stan's shoulder. **_

"I can't believe they're still calling him Neville!" laughed James.

_**"And a **__**private**__** parlour, please, Tom," said Fudge pointedly. **_

_**"Bye," said Harry miserably to Stan and Ern, as Tom beckoned Fudge towards the passage that led from the bar. **_

_**"Bye, Neville!" called Stan. **_

_**Fudge marched Harry along the narrow passage after Tom's lantern, and then into a small parlour. Tom clicked his fingers, a fire burst into life in the grate, and he bowed himself out of the room. **_

_**"Sit down, Harry," said Fudge, indicating a chair by the fire. **_

_**Harry sat down, feeling goose bumps rising up his arms despite the glow of the fire. **_

_**Fudge took off his pinstriped cloak and tossed it aside, then hitched up the trousers of his bottle-green suit and sat down opposite Harry. **_

_**"I am Cornelius Fudge, Harry. The Minister for Magic." **_

_**Harry already knew this, of course; he had seen Fudge once before, but as he had been wearing his father's Invisibility Cloak at the time, Fudge wasn't to know that. **_

_**Tom the innkeeper reappeared, wearing an apron over his nightshirt and bearing a tray of tea and crumpets. He placed the tray on a table between Fudge and Harry, and left the parlour, closing the door behind him. **_

_**"Well, Harry," said Fudge, pouring out tea, "you've had us all in a right flap, I don't mind telling you. Running away from your aunt and uncle's house like that! I'd started to think... but you're safe, and that's what matters." **_

_**Fudge buttered himself a crumpet and pushed the plate towards Harry. **_

_**"Eat, Harry, you look dead on your feet. Now then... You will be pleased to hear that we have dealt with the unfortunate blowing-up of Miss Marjorie Dursley. **_

"Awww..." whined Sirius.

"To bad, but…" Bellatrix suddenly pointed her wand at Marge who started swelling like a balloon and was now howering by the ceiling looking frightened.

"Bellatrix!" Andromeda hissed while the others were rolling on the floor laughing.

"What? I'm only showing hr what she can expect in some years." She answered to her growling sister while grinning.

"You will never change and Dora that what your aunt did was not funny." Andromeda said to her daughter who was gigglig and laughing at Marge's missfortune.

_**Two members of the Accidental Magic Reversal Department were dispatched to Privet Drive a few hours ago. Miss Dursley has been punctured and her memory has been modified. She has no recollection of the incident at all. So that's that, and no harm done." **_

_**Fudge smiled at Harry over the rim of his teacup, rather like an uncle surveying his favourite nephew. **_

_**Harry, who couldn't believe his ears, opened his mouth to speak, couldn't think of anything to say, and closed it again. **_

_**"Ah, you're worrying about the reaction of your aunt and uncle?" said Fudge. "Well, I won't deny that they are extremely angry, Harry, but they are prepared to take you back next summer as long as you stay at Hogwarts for the Christmas and Easter holidays." **_

_**Harry unstuck his throat. **_

_**"I **__**always**__** stay at Hogwarts for the Christmas and Easter holidays," he said, "and I don't ever want to go back to Privet Drive." **_

_**"Now, now, I'm sure you'll feel differently once you've calmed down," said Fudge in a worried tone. "They are your family, after all, and I'm sure you are fond of each other- er- **__**very**__** deep down." **_

"Oh really?" said Lily coolly.

_**It didn't occur to Harry to put Fudge right. He was still waiting to hear what was going to happen to him now. **_

_**"So all that remains," said Fudge, now buttering himself a second crumpet, "is to decide where you're going to spend the last two weeks of your holidays. **_

"Harry's gotten off," said James, sounding awed.

_**I suggest you take a room here at the Leaky Cauldron and-" **_

_**"Hang on," blurted Harry, "what about my punishment?" **_

_**Fudge blinked. "Punishment?" **_

_**"I broke the law!" Harry said. "The Decree for the Restriction of Underage Wizardry!" **_

"Harry…" everyone said groaning.

_**"Oh, my dear boy, we're not going to punish you for a little thing like that!" cried Fudge, waving his crumpet impatiently. "It was an accident! We don't send people to Azkaban just for blowing up their aunts!" **_

_**But this didn't tally at all with Harry's past dealings with the Ministry of Magic. **_

_**"Last year, I got an official warning just because a house-elf smashed a pudding in my uncle's house!" said Harry, frowning. "The Ministry of Magic said I'd be expelled from Hogwarts if there was anymore magic there!" **_

_**Unless Harry's eyes were deceiving him, Fudge was suddenly looking awkward. **_

_**"Circumstances chance, Harry... we have to take into account... in the present climate... surely you don't **__**want**__** to be expelled?" **_

_**"Of course I don't," said Harry. **_

_**"Well, then what's all the fuss about?" laughed Fudge airily. "Now, have a crumpet, Harry, while I go and see if Tom's got a room for you." **_

_**Fudge strode out of the parlour and Harry stared after him. There was something extremely odd going on. Why had Fudge been waiting for him at the Leaky Cauldron, if not to punish him for what he'd done? **_

"We would also like to know."

_**And now Harry came to think of it, surely it wasn't usual for the Minister for Magic **__**himself**__** to get involved in matters of underage magic? **_

"It is highly unusual."

_**Fudge came back, accompanied by Tom the innkeeper. **_

_**"Room eleven's free, Harry," said Fudge. "I think you'll be very comfortable. Just one thing, and I'm sure you'll understand: I don't want you wandering off into Muggle London, all right? Keep to Diagon Alley. And you're to be back here before dark each night. Sure you'll understand. Tom will be keeping an eye on you for me." **_

_**"OK," said Harry slowly, "but why-?" **_

_**"Don't want to lose you again, do we?" said Fudge with a hearty laugh. "No, no... best we know where you are... I mean..." **_

_**Fudge cleared his throat loudly and picked up his pinstriped cloak. **_

_**"Well, I'll be off, plenty to do, you know." **_

_**"Have you had any luck with Black yet?" Harry asked. **_

_**Fudge's fingers slipped on the silver fastenings of his cloak. **_

"It is so obvious that he is nervous."

_**"What's that? Oh, you've heard- well, no, not yet, but it's only a matter of time. The Azkaban guards have never yet failed... and they are angrier than I've ever seem them." **_

_**Fudge shuddered slightly. **_

_**"So, I'll say goodbye." **_

_**He held out his hand and Harry, shaking it, had a sudden idea. **_

_**"Er- Minister? Can I ask you something?" **_

_**"Certainly," smiled Fudge. **_

_**"Well, third-years at Hogwarts are allowed to visit Hogsmeade, but my aunt and uncle didn't sign the permission form. D'you think you could?" **_

_**Fudge was looking uncomfortable. **_

_**"Ah," he said. "No. No, I'm very sorry, Harry, but as I'm not your parent or guardian-" **_

_**"But you're the Minister for Magic," said Harry eagerly. "If you gave me permission-" **_

_**"No, I'm sorry, Harry, but rules are rules," said Fudge flatly. **_

_**"Perhaps you'll be able to visit Hogsmeade next year. In fact, I think it's best if you don't... yes... well, I'll be off. Enjoy your stay, Harry." **_

_**And with a last smile and shake of Harry's hand, Fudge left the room. Tom now moved forward, beaming at Harry. **_

_**"If you'll follow me, Mr Potter," he said. "I've already taken your things up..." **_

_**Harry followed Tom up a handsome wooden staircase to a door with a brass number eleven on it, which Tom unlocked and opened for him. **_

_**Inside was a very comfortable-looking bed, some highly polished oak furniture, a cheerfully crackling fire and, perched on top of the wardrobe - **_

_**"Hedwig!" Harry gasped. **_

"What a smart owl Harry has!" exclaimed Peter.

"Told you these owl type is smart." Rudolphus said.

_**The snowy owl clicked her beak and fluttered down onto Harry's arm. **_

"I would also like to get a snowy owl." Regulus said.

_**"Very smart owl you've got there," chuckled Tom. "Arrived about five minutes after you did. If there's anything you need, Mr Potter, don't hesitate to ask." **_

_**He gave another bow and left. **_

_**Harry sat on the bed for a long time, absent-mindedly stroking Hedwig. The sky outside was changing rapidly from deep, velvety blue to cold, steely grey and then, slowly, to pink shot with gold. **_

_**Harry could hardly believe that he'd only left Privet Drive a few hours ago, that he wasn't expelled, and that he was now facing two completely Dursley-free weeks. **_

_**"It's been a very weird night, Hedwig," he yawned. **_

_**And without even removing his glasses, he lumped back onto his pillows and fell asleep. **_

"So this is the end of the chapter, here you go James." Remus said as he handed his friend the book.

"Thanks Remus." James answered.

_To be continued…_


	5. A litle relief

A/N: ok guys I hava already said this before and this will be the last time that I will point this out I don't follow some of the facts beouse I didn't had the correct ages when starting the first book, the second ground for the changed ages is to get some characters easier together and bear with Regulus's age here and to the ones who are worrying that ther are already to much characters, guys you really can't think that I would manage all the books with so many characters even I can't do wonders the number will go down after a while so I hope that all answers are answered…

P.S.: one of my friends created this nice HP RPG site check it out it is new www.hogwartsschool13./

V. A little relief, _The __Leaky__Cauldron_

* * *

"_**The **__**Leaky**__**Cauldron**_" James read the next chapter title a little bit disappointed.

"Well title doesn't give much away." Frank said and the others nodded.

"James start reading."

_**It took Harry several days to get used to his strange new freedom. Never before had he been able to get up whenever he wanted**_

At this received the two Dursleys and Petunia a few nice death glares.

_**or eat whatever he fancied. **_

More death glares and growling.

_**He could even go wherever he liked, as long as it was in Diagon Alley, and as this long cobbled street was packed with the most fascinating wizard shops in the world,**_

"Diagon Alley is the best place." James said happily.

"I like Knockturn Alley the best." Bellatrix said grinning while the Gryffindors stared shocked at her and the others only shook they heads.

_**Harry felt no desire to break his word to Fudge and stray back into the Muggle world. **_

_**Harry ate breakfast each morning in the Leaky Cauldron, where he liked watching other guests: funny little witches from the country, up for a day's shopping; venerable-looking wizards arguing over the latest article in **__**Transfiguration Today**__**; **_

"That is a good paper actually McGonagall gave me once one example and I liked it." James commented nodding.

_**wild-looking warlocks, raucous dwarfs and, once, what looked suspiciously like a hag, who ordered a plate of raw liver **_

Everyone shuddered in disgust.

_**from behind a thick woollen balaclava. **_

_**After breakfast Harry would go out into the backyard, take out his wand, tap the third brick from the left above the dustbin, and stand back as the archway into Diagon Alley opened in the wall. **_

_**Harry spent the long sunny days exploring the shops and eating under the brightly coloured umbrellas outside cafes, where his fellow diners were showing each other purchases ("it's a lunascope, old boy - no more messing around with moon charts, see?") **_

"We could use one of those," commented Remus.

"We manage also without it." Sirius said while his two cousins, his little brother and Rudolphus looked strangely at them.

_**or else discussing the case of Sirius Black **_

"At least it seems to have given people something to talk about!" Sirius said angrily.

"I don't see your problem you always love to stand in the reflektor light." Lucius said.

"BUT NOT AS A MASS MURDERER!"

* * *

"Erm…uh…Cygnus did your nephew just say "mass murderer"?" Abraxas asked confused as he looked down at the confused looking man.

"I hope hiss mass murdering will not involve the family and in any other way would Wallburga immediately take him back." Druella commented and the others gulped.

"Oh, she must be really interesting woman…" Mr. Evans said a bit nervously.

"Don't worry about that what we are saying you know we aren't so different from each other with the exception of magic, but this is not a big problem even in pure blood families can it happen that a squib is born." Mrs. Potter explained softly.

"Uhm…what are purebloods and squibs?" Mrs. Evans asked a bit unsure.

"Purebloods are families who had only witches and wizards in they lines and squibs are people who are born in such a pureblood family, but have no magic." Mrs. Malfoy explained.

"Oh…"

* * *

Back in the room Sirius finally managed to calm down.

_**("personally, I won't let any of the children out alone until he's back in Azbaban.") **_

"I don't plan to go back to Azkaban any time soon, so your children won't be out alone for a long time!" snapped Sirius.

_**Harry didn't have to do his homework under the blankets by torchlight any more;**_

"Good." Lily said nodding.

_**now he could sit in the bright sunshine outside Florean Fortescue's Ice-Cream Parlour, **_

"The ice ceam there is brilliant." Peter said and the others nodded imagining they favorite ice cream.

_**finishing all his essays with occasional help from Florean Fortescue himself,**_

"He is a nice bloke." James commented.

_**who, apart from knowing a great deal about medieval witch-burnings, gave Harry free sundaes every half hour. **_

"Lucky Harry," said James, sounding envious.

"Hey Prongs now we know where to find help if we get such an essey." Sirius commented grinning.

"Boys…"

_**Once Harry had refilled his moneybag with gold Galleons, silver Sickles and bronze Knuts from his vault at Gringotts, he needed to exercise a lot of self-control not to spend the whole lot at once. **_

"Something your father and godfather never mastered." Remus said grinning as his two friends glared at him, the others only grinned.

_**He had to keep reminding himself that he had five years to go at Hogwarts, and how it would feel sick to ask the Dursleys for money**_

"True."

_**for spellbooks, to stop him buying a set of solid gold Gobstones (a wizarding game rather like marbles, in which the stones squirted a nasty-smelling liquid into the other player's face when they lost a point.) **_

At the mentioning of the game started Severus smiling.

"Hey Sev wasn't your mom the captain of the Hogwarts Gobstones Club in her school days?" Lucius asked suddenly as he remembered that his mother mentioned this once, she was also in the Club back then.

"Yes she was." He answered.

"Wow really?" Molly asked whose brothers loved that game as much as Quidditch.

"Yes."

_**He was sorely tempted, too, by the perfect, moving model of the galaxy in a large glass ball, which would have meant he never had to take another Astronomy lesson.**_

"That was my favorite subject." Andromada said smiling.

_**But the thing that tested Harry's resolution most appeared in his favourite shop, Quality Quidditch Supplies,**_

"YES!" James yelled excited.

"Shut it Potter…" Bellatrix hissed in annoyance.

_**a week after he'd arrived at the Leaky Cauldron. **_

_**Curious to know what the crowd in the shop was staring at, Harry edged his way inside and squeezed in amongst the excited witches nd wizards until he glimpsed a newly erected podium on which was mounted the most magnificent broom he had ever seen in his life. **_

_**"Just come out... prototype..." a square-jawed wizard was telling his companion. **_

_**"It's the fastest broom in the world, isn't it, Dad?" squeaked a boy younger than Harry, who was swinging off his father's arm. **_

_**"Irish International Side's just put in an order for seven of these beauties!" the proprietor of the shop told the crowd. "And they're favourites for the World Cup!" **_

_**A large witch in front of Harry moved, and he was able to read the sign next to the broom:**_

_**THE FIREBOLT **_

"Ewww…Potter stop drooling." Bella hissed again and Lily grabed the book qiuckly.

"Firebolt…" James moaned.

"Okey, we lost him for a while and I will not repeat that murderous action so Lily read till James returns." Sirius sugested not risking to be attacked by the girls again his two cousins also counted and he was definiately not dumb enough to try out the hexes Balla can.

"Ok." Lily said as she threw a glance at the glasy eyed still drooling James. "Men and they sport obsession." She said before starting to read.

_**This state-of-the-art racing broom sports a streamlined, superfine handle of ash, treated with diamond-hand polish and hand-numbered with its own registration number. **_

James moaned again.

"Okey someone put a silencing spell on him before a murderer happens." Bellatrix stated s the others scotted away from James.

"Uhm…ok…" Remus said as he silenced James.

"That is already better."

_**Each individual selected birch twig in the broomtail has been honed to aerodynamic perfection, giving the Firebolt unsurpassable balance and pinpoint precision. The Firebolt has an acceleration of 0-150 miles an hour in ten seconds and incorporates an unbreakable breaking charm. Price on request. **_

"Uhm, Remus what does price on request mean?" asked Peter as e turned to the sandy-haired boy.

"That's it's very expensive," responded Remus.

"Oh."

_**Price on request... Harry didn't like to think how much gold the Firebolt would cost. **_

"I think your father did that." Sirius commented as James flinched and his mouth opened for a silent whine.

_**He had never wanted anything so much in his whole life- but he had never lost a Quidditch match on his Nimbus Two Thousand, and what was the point in emptying his Gringotts vault for the Firebolt, when he had a very good broom already? **_

"Exactly, Harry," said Lily.

_**Harry didn't ask for the price, but he returned, almost every day after that, just to look at the Firebolt. **_

_**There were, however, things that Harry needed to buy. He went to the apothecary to replenish his store of Potions' ingredients, and his school robes were now several inches too short in the arm and leg, he visited Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions and bought new ones. Most important of all, he had to buy his new school books, which would include those of his two new subjects, Care of Magical Creatures and Divination. **_

"Divination is rubbish." The whole group sayd in union.

"But don't witches like every type of magic?" Petunia asked from above.

"Well that might be true, but Divination is an useless thing most of the time I mean you can't get through class by looking at the crystall bool or the tea leaves and tell something you come up with." Narcissa explained.

_**Harry got a surprise as he looked in at the bookshop window. Instead of the usual display of gold-embossed spellbooks the size of paving slabs, there was a large iron cage behind glass which held about a hundred copies of **__**The Monster Book of Monsters. **_

"The book Hagrid send to Harry?" Arthur asked.

"Yep."

_**Torn pages were flying everywhere as the books grappled with each other, locked together in furious wrestling matches and snapping aggressively. **_

Everyone shuddered.

"I would love to get one of those and send it to certain people." Bellatrix said suddenly as she looked at Marge who gave out a muffled whimmering sound.

_**Harry pulled his booklist out of his pocket and consulted it for the first time. **__**The Monster Book of Monsters **__**was listed as the set book for Care of Magical Creatures. **_

"Since when was Catleburg so engrossed in his subject?" Lucius asked frowning.

"Don't know…"

_**Now Harry understood why Hagrid had said it would come in useful. He felt relieved; he had been wondering whether Hagrid wanted help with some terrifying new pet. **_

At that everyone laughed.

_**As Harry entered Flourish and Blotts, the manager came hurrying towards him. **_

_**"Hogwarts?" he said abruptly. "Come to get your new books?" **_

_**"Yes," said Harry. "I need-" **_

_**"Get out of the way," said the manager impatiently, brushing Harry aside. **_

_**He drew on a pair of very thick gloves, picked up a large, knobbly walking tick and proceeded towards the door of the **__**Monster Books' **__**cage. **_

_**"Hang on," said Harry quickly, "I've already got one of those." **_

_**"Have you?" A loom of enormous relief spread over the manager's face. "Thank heavens for that, I've been bitten five times already this morning-"**_

"Ugh…was probably the first time he REALLY hated his job." Sirius commented.

_**A loud ripping noise rent the air; two of the **__**Monster Books**__** had seized a third and were pulling it apart. **_

"Those books sound scarry." Regulus commented while the others stared wide eyed at the book.

"Are those things even books?" James asked suddenly after finally returning from híd daydream and lifting the spell.

"Not sure mate, but now that you are back you can continue reading." Sirius said and Lily handed James the book.

_**"Stop it! Stop it!" cried the manager, poking the walking stick through the bars and knocking the books apart. "I'm never stocking them again, never! It's been bedlam! I thought we'd seen the worst when we bought two hundred copies of **__**The Invisible Book of Invisibility**__** - cost a fortune, and we never found them...**_

Everyone started laughing at this again.

"I would have so loved to see them searching for the books." Sirius said between laughing fits.

"You are not the only one." Rosier commented.

_**Well, is there anything else I can help you with?" **_

_**"Yes," said Harry, looking down his booklist. "I need **__**Unfogging the Future**__**, by Cassandra Vablatsky." **_

"That book has actually a few interesting parts." Andromeda said.

_**"Ah, starting Divination, are you?" said the manager, stripping off his gloves and leading Harry to the back on the shop, where there was a corner devoted to fortune-telling. A small table was stacked with volumes such as **__**Predicting the Unpredictable: Insulate Yourself Against Shocks **__**and **__**Broken Balls: When Fortunes Turn Foul. **_

"Both are useless rubbish." Bellatrix commented and Andromeda nodded.

_**"Here you are," said the manager, who had climbed a set of steps to take down a thick, black-bound book. "**__**Unfogging the Future**__**. Very good guide to all your basic fortune-telling methods - palmistry, crystal balls, bird entrails..." **_

_**But Harry wasn't listening. **_

"We wouldn't either Harry."

_**His eyes had fallen on another book, which was among a display on a small table: **__**Death Omens: What to Do When You Know the Worst Is Coming. **_

"My grandmother gave me one of those for my birthday five years ago, never opened it." Rosier commented.

_**"Oh, I wouldn't read that if I were you," said the assistant lightly, looking to see what Harry was staring at. "You'll start seeing death omens everywhere, it's enough to frighten anyone to death." **_

Everyone stared first at the book and then at Rosier.

"Say Evan, what kind of relationship do you have with your grandmother?"Flint asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm her favorite grandson, why?" the blunet asked confused.

"The I don't want to know what she would give you if she would hate you."

"What do you mean by that Aractus?"

"Forget it."

"No I want to know."

"James continue and let those two fight." Lucius said.

_**But Harry continued to stare at the front cover of the book; it showed a black dog large as a bear, with gleaming eyes. **_

"I'm feelig here personally offended to be portrayed on a totaly useless book." Sirius snapped while the others tried not to grin.

_**It looked oddly familiar... **_

Sirius groaned.

_**The assistant pressed **__**Unfogging the Future**__** into Harry's hands. **_

_**"Anything else?" he said. **_

_**"Yes," said Harry, tearing his eyes away from the dog's and dazedly consulting his booklist. "Er - I need **__**Intermediate Transfiguration**__** and **__**The Standard Book of Spells, Grade Three.**__**"**_

_**Harry emerged from Flourish and Blotts ten minutes later with his new books under his arm, and made his way back to the Leaky Cauldron, hardly noticing where he was going and bumping into several people. **_

_**He tramped up the stairs to his room, went inside and tipped his books onto his bed. Somebody had been in to tidy; the windows were open and sun was pouring inside. Harry could hear the buses rolling by in the unseen Muggle street behind him, and the sound of the invisible crowd below in Diagon Alley. He caught sight of himself in the mirror over the basin. **_

_**"It can't have been a death omen," he told his reflection defiantly.**_

"No Harry, of course it wasn't a death omen." Lily said softly.

"Ys son, it was only your godfather who escaped from Azkaban." James said.

"James, Harry saw a dog and not Sirius except…" Andromeda suddenly trailed of.

"We will explain later." Sirius said to his cousin and mentioned to James that he should continue.

_**" I was panicking when I saw that thing in Magnolia Crescent. It was probably just a stray dog..." **_

_**He raised his hand automatically and tried to make his hair lie flat. **_

"It's a waste of time, Harry," said James.

_**"You're fighting a losing battle there, dear," said his mirror in a wheezy voice. **_

"See Harry even the morror recogrinaises the Potter hair, it will never lay flat." James said.

_**As the days slipped by, Harry started looking wherever he went for a sign of Ron or Hermione. **_

_**Plenty of Hogwarts students were arriving in Diagon Alley now, with the start of term so near. Harry met Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas, his fellow Gryffindors, in Quality Quidditch Supplies,**_

"One of the best places to met."

_**where they, too, were ogling the Firebolt; he also ran into the real Neville Longbottom, a round-faced, forgetful boy, outside Flourish and Blotts. Harry didn't stop to chat; Neville appeared to have mislaid his booklist, and was being told off by his very formidable-looking grandmother.**_

"Uhm…I think she gave him the same spech as me when I once missplaced my list in second year." Frank said blushing.

_**Harry hoped she never found out that he'd pretended to be Neville while on the run from the Ministry of Magic. **_

"Hehe, yes that is my mother for you."

_**Harry woke on the last day of the holidays, thinking that he would at least see Ron and Hermione tomorrow, on the Hogwarts Express. **_

_**He got up, dressed, went for a last look at the Firebolt, and was just wondering where he'd have lunch, when someone yelled his name and he turned. **_

_**"Harry! HARRY!" **_

_**They were there, both of them, sitting outside Florean Fortescue's Ice-Cream Parlour, Ron looking incredibly freckly, and Hermione very brown, both waving frantically at him. **_

"Yes, his friends are there." Sirius said grinning.

_**"Finally!" said Ron, grinning at Harry as he sat down. "We went to the Leaky Cauldron, but they said you'd left, and we went to Flourish and Blotts, and Madam Malkin's, and-" **_

_**"I got all my school stuff last week," Harry explained. "And how did you know I'm staying at the Leaky Cauldron?" **_

_**"Dad," said Ron simply. **_

_**Mr Weasley, who worked at the Ministry of Magic, would of course have heard the whole story of what had happened to Aunt Marge. **_

Everyone laughed.

"Bet your whole family plus the Ministry had a good laugh." James said to Arthur.

_**"Did you **__**really**__** blow up your aunt, Harry?" said Hermione in a very serious voice. **_

_**"I didn't mean to," said Harry, while Ron roared with laugher. "I just- lost control." **_

_**"It's not funny, Ron,"**_

"Buti t is!" they said in union as they threw an amused glance at Balloon-Marge.

_**said Hermione sharply. "Honestly, I'm amazed Harry wasn't expelled." **_

"Me too," said Lily.

_**"So am I," admitted Harry. "Forget expelled, I thought I was going to be arrested." He looked at Ron. "Your dad doesn't know why Fudge let me off, does he?" **_

_**"Probably 'cause it's you, isn't it?" shrugged Ron, still chuckling. "Famous Harry Potter and all that. I'd hate to see what the Ministry'd do to **__**me**__** if I blew up my aunt.**_

"Believe me Ron he Ministry wouldn't do much to you after I would have been finished with you young man if you would dare to blow your aunt up." Molly threatened.

_**Mind you, they'd have to dig me up first, because Mum would've killed me. **_

"Wow the boy knows you well Molly." James commented, but winched from her deathglare.

_**Anyway, you can ask Dad yourself this evening. We're staying at the Leaky Cauldron tonight, too!**_

"Brilliant."

_**So you can come to King's Cross with us tomorrow! Hermione's there as well!" **_

_**Hermione nodded, beaming. "Mum and Dad dropped me off this morning with all my Hogwarts things." **_

_**"Excellent!" said Harry happily. "So, have you got all your new books and stuff?" **_

_**"Look at this," said Ron, pulling out a long thin box out of a bag and opening it. "Brand-new wand. Fourteen inches, willow, containing one unicorn tail-hair.**_

"Oh nice Ron and I have the same wand type." Rosier said grinning.

"Uhm…well atleast there won'T be any such incidents like last year." Remus said.

"But we all agree when it exploded in Lonkhart's face it was brilliant." Sirius said.

_**And we've got all our books-" he pointed at a large bag under his chair. "What about those **__**Monster Books**__**, eh? The assistant nearly cried when we said we wanted two." **_

"To be honest I can uderstand that bloke." James said.

"Jep, he probab ly thought that selling books would be an easy job." Flint said.

"Now we all know that, that job is also dangerous."

_**"What's all that, Hermione?" Harry asked, pointing at not one, but three, bulging bags in the chair next to her. **_

_**"Well, I'm taking more subjects than you, aren't I?"**_

"Just how many more subjects?" Narcissa asked.

"That girl can't be serious?" James asked suddenly shocked.

"What is it?"

_**said Hermione. "Those are my books for Arithmancy, Care of Magical Creatures, Divination, Study of Ancient Runes, Muggle Studies-" **_

"What is Hermione taking Muggle Studies for?" asked Sirius. "She's Muggleborn!"

"I would more like to know how she want's to manage ALL those classes?" Severus asked.

_**"What are you doing Muggle Studies for?" said Ron, rolling his eyes at Harry. "You're Muggle-born! Your mum and dad are Muggles! You already know all about Muggles!" **_

_**"But it'll be fascinating to study them from the wizarding point of view," said Hermione earnestly. **_

"True." Lily said smiling.

_**"Are you planning to eat or sleep at all this year, Hermione?" asked Harry, while Ron sniggered. Hermione ignored them. **_

_**"I've still got ten Galleons," she said, checking her purse. "It's my birthday in September, and Mum and Dad gave me some money to get myself an early birthday present." **_

_**"How about a nice **__**book**__**?" said Ron innocently. **_

Everyone chuckled while Molly shook her head.

_**"No, I don't think so," said Hermione composedly. "I really want an owl. I mean, Harry's got Hedwig and you've got Errol-" **_

_**"I haven't," said Ron. "Errol's a family owl. All I've got is Scabbers." He pulled out his pet rat out of his pocket. "And I want to get him checked over," he added, placing Scabbers on the table in front of them. "I don't think Egypt agreed with him." **_

_**Scabbers was looking thinner than usual, and there was a definite droop to his whiskers. **_

_**"There's a magical-creature shop just over there," said Harry, who knew Diagon Alley very well by now. "You can see if they've got anything for Scabbers, and Hermione can get her owl." **_

_**So they paid for their ice-creams and crossed the street to the Magical Menagerie. **_

"That is a nice place." Alice said and the girls nodded in agrement.

_**There wasn't much room inside. Every inch of wall was hidden by cages. It was smelly and very noisy because the occupants of these cages were all squeaking, squawking, jabbering or hissing. The witch behind the counter was already advising a wizard on the care of double-ended newts, so Harry, Ron and Hermione waited, examining the cages. **_

_**A pair of enormous purple toads sat gulping wetly and feasting on dead blowflies. **_

"Lovely," said Peter sarcastically.

_**A gigantic tortoise with a jewel-encrusted shell was glittering near the window. Poisonous orange snails were oozing slowly up the side of their glass tank, and a fat white rabbit kept changing into a silk top hat and back again with a loud popping noise. **_

They all laughed.

_**Then there were cats of every colour, a noisy cage of ravens, a basket of funny custard-coloured furballs that were humming loudly, and, on the counter, a vast cage of sleek black rats which were playing some sort of skipping game using their long bald tails. **_

At that many members of the group turned grinning to a blushing Peter.

"Don't even dare to suggest…" he growled.

_**The double-ended newt wizard left and Ron approached the counter. **_

_**"It's my rat," he told the witch. "He's been a bit off-colour ever since I brought him back from Egypt." **_

_**"Bang him on the counter," said the witch, pulling a pair of heavy black spectacles out of her pocket. **_

_**Ron lifted Scabbers out of his inside pocket and placed him next to the cage of his fellow rats, who stopped their skipping tricks and scuffled to the wire for a better look. **_

_**Like nearly everything Ron owned, Scabbers the rat was second-hand (he had once belonged to Ron's brother Percy) and a bit battered. Next to the glossy rats in the cage, he looked especially woebegone. **_

"Poor Scabbers," said Peter.

_**"Hm," said the witch, picking Scabbers up. "How old is this rat?" **_

_**"Dunno," said Ron. "Quite old. He used to belong to my brother." **_

_**"What powers does he have?" said the witch, examining Scabbers closely. **_

_**"Er-" said Ron. The truth was that Scabbers had never shown the faintest trace of interesting powers. **_

_**The witch's eyes moved from Scabber's tattered left ear to his front paw, which had a toe missing, and tutted loudly. **_

_**"He's been through the mill, this one," she said. **_

_**"He was like that when Percy gave him to me," said Ron defensively. **_

_**"An ordinary, common or garden rat like this can't be expected to live longer than three years or so," said the witch. "Now, if you were looking for something a bit more hard-wearing, you might like one of these..." **_

"Hmm…now that the shop keeper says it is it really starange that the rat is still alive." Narcissa said thoughtfuly.

"True.

**She indicated the black rats, who promptly started skipping again. **

They all chuckled.

**Ron muttered, "Show-offs." **

They all laughed at this.

_**"Well, if you don't want a replacement, you can try this Rat Tonic," said the witch, reaching under the counter and bringing out a small red bottle. **_

_**"OK," said Ron. "How much- OUCH!" **_

_**Ron buckled as something huge and orange came soaring from the top of the highest cage, landed on his head and then propelled itself, spitting madly at Scabbers. **_

_**"NO, CROOKSHANKS, NO!" cried the witch, but Scabbers shot from between her hands like a bar of soap, landed splay-legged on the floor and then scampered for the door. **_

_**"Scabbers!" Ron shouted, racing out of the shop after him; Harry followed. **_

_**It took them nearly ten minutes to find Scabbers, who had taken refuge under a wastepaper bin outside Quality Quidditch Supplies. Ron stifled the trembling rat back into his pocket and straightened up, massaging his head. **_

_**"What **__**was**__** that?" **_

_**"It was either a very big cat or quite a small tiger," said Harry. **_

At this Sirius started laughing while James shook hie head.

_**"Where's Hermione?" **_

_**"Probably getting her owl." **_

_**They made their way back up the crowded street to the Magical Menagerie. As they reached it, Hermione came out, but she wasn't carrying an owl. Her arms were clamped tightly around the enormous ginger cat. **_

"What she actually bought that beast?" Peter asked shocked.

"Cat's are cute."

"Yes and if you say somethig else will you be attacked grom our feline obserwator." Sirius whispered to James while pointing at the black cat wich was watching them intensively.

_**"You **__**bought**__** that monster?" said Ron, his mouth hanging open. **_

"I agree with Ron." Peter said.

_**"He's **__**gorgeous**__**, isn't he?" said Hermione, glowing. **_

_**That was a matter of opinion, thought Harry. The cat's ginger fur was thick and fluffy, but it was definitely a bit bow-legged and its face looked grumpy and oddly squashed, as though it had run headlong into a brick wall. **_

_**Now that Scabbers was out of sight, however, the cat was purring contentedly in Hermione's arms. **_

_**"Hermione, that thing nearly scalped me!" said Ron. **_

"Now Ron you are exeveragating." Arthur said.

_**"He didn't mean to, did you, Crookshanks?" said Hermione. **_

_**"And what about Scabbers?" said Ron, pointing at the lump in his chest pocket. "He needs rest and relaxation! How's he going to get it with that thing around?" **_

_**"That reminds me, you forgot your Rat Tonic," said Hermione, slapping the small red bottle into Ron's hand. "And stop **__**worrying**__**, Crookshanks will be sleeping in my dormitory and Scabbers in yours. What's the problem? Poor Crookshanks, that witch said he'd been in there for ages; no one wanted him." **_

"Aaawww…" the girls said while the boys shook they heads.

_**"I wonder why," said Ron sarcastically, as they set off towards the Leaky Cauldron. **_

_**They found Mr Weasley sitting in the bar, reading the **__**Daily Prophet**__**. **_

"Hey look Arthur you are back." Sirius said grinning.

"Really funny Sirius…"

_**"Harry!" he said, smiling as he looked up. "How are you?" **_

_**"Fine, thanks," said Harry as he, Ron and Hermione joined Mr Weasley with all their shopping. **_

_**Mr Weasley put down his paper, and Harry saw the now familiar picture of Sirius Black staring up at him. **_

"Can't they print anything else?" asked Sirius grumpily.

"Well dear cousin you are at the moment the hottest news around so you will have to bear with your fame." Bella said.

_**"They still haven't caught him, then?" he asked. **_

_**"No," said Mr Weasley, looking extremely grave. "They've pulled us all off our regular jobs at the Ministry to try and find him, but no luck so far." **_

Sirius'qs head dropped.

_**"Would we get a reward if we caught him?" asked Ron. "It'd be good to get some more money-" **_

_**"Don't be ridiculous, Ron," said Mr Weasley, who on closer inspection looked very strained. "Black's not going to be caught by a thirteen-year-old wizard. It's the Azkaban guards who'll get him back, you mark my words." **_

"Ugh…"

_**At that moment Mrs Weasley entered the bar, laden with shopping and followed by the twins, Fred and George, who were about to start their fifth year at Hogwarts, the newly elected Head Boy, Percy, and the Weasleys' youngest child and only girl, Ginny. **_

_**Ginny, who had always been very taken with Harry, seemed even more heartily embarrassed than usual when she saw him,**_

"Awww…" most of the girls coed.

_**perhaps because he had saved her life during their last term at Hogwarts. She went very red and muttered "hello" without looking at him. **_

"How did Harry save her?" Andromeda asked.

"Killed a basilish with Gryffindor's sword." James explained.

"Just where in Merlin's name found that boy a basilisk?" Rudolphus asked.

"In the Chamber of Secrets under Myrtle's bathroom." Sirius said grinning and the newcommers gapped at them.

_**Percy, however, held out his hand solemnly as though he and Harry had never met and said, "Harry. How nice to see you." **_

"Molly, Arthur your son will work int he Ministerium that is for sure by that acting." James said.

"HEY WE WORK ALSO THERE!" both Lucius and Arthur yelled.

"Erm…sorry."

"So Lucius will also ork in the Ministerium?" Bella asked.

"Yes."

_**"Hello, Percy," said Harry, trying not to laugh. **_

_**"I hope you're well?" said Percy pompously, shaking hands. It was rather like being introduced to the mayor. **_

Everyone started laughing.

_**"Very well, thanks-" **_

_**"Harry!" said Fred, elbowing Percy out of the way and bowing deeply. "Simply **__**splendid**__** to see you, old boy-" **_

_**"Marvellous!" said George, pushing Fred aside and seizing Harry's hand in turn. "Absolutely spiffing." **_

_**Percy scowled. **_

_**"That's enough, now," said Mrs Weasley. **_

_**"Mum!" said Fred, as though he'd only just spotted her, and seized her hand, too. "How really corking to see you-" **_

"Molly, Arthur those twins are brilliant." Sirius said grinning.

"Those two are starting to remind me on my older brothers Gideon and Fabian…" Molly said sighing, she loved her older brothers, but sometimes they were a chatastrophe.

_**"I said, that's enough," said Mrs Weasley, depositing her shopping in an empty chair. "Hello, Harry, dear. I suppose you've heard our exciting news?" She pointed at the brand-new silver badge on Percy's chest. "Second Head Boy in the family!" she said, swelling with pride. **_

_**"And last," Fred muttered under his breath. **_

The all laughed again while Molly shook her head.

_**"I don't doubt that," said Mrs Weasley, frowning suddenly. "I notice they haven't made you two Prefects." **_

"And I won1t be Perfect now that is for sure, but according to future Hagrid I will be Head Boy." James said grinning.

"JAMES AS HEAD BOY!" screamed Andromeda, Bellatrix and Rudolphus while outside in front of the door were the two Potters caughing after nearly chocking on they own breath.

_**"What do we want to be Prefects for?" said George, looking revolted at the very idea. "It'd take all the fun out of life." **_

"I agree," said Sirius.

_**Ginny giggled. **_

_**"You want to set a better example to your sister!" snapped Mrs Weasley. **_

_**"Ginny's got other brothers to set her an example, Mother," said Percy loftily.**_

"Yep Bill and Charlie." Sirius said.

_**"I'm going upstairs to change for dinner..." **_

_**He disappeared and George heaved a sigh. **_

_**"We tried to shut him in a pyramid," he told Harry. "But Mum spotted us." **_

Most of the boys laughed and Molly glared at the book.

"George Weasley don't you dare try to shut your brother in a pyramid." She growled.

_**Dinner that night was a very enjoyable affair. Tom the innkeeper put three tables together in the parlour and the seven Weasleys, Harry and Hermione ate their way through five delicious courses. **_

_**"How are we getting to King's Cross tomorrow, Dad?" asked Fred, as they tucked into a sumptuous chocolate pudding. **_

_**"The Ministry's providing a couple of cars," said Mr Weasley. **_

_**Everyone looked at him. **_

_**"Why?" said Percy curiously. **_

"Why do I have the feeling that it has something to do with me…" Sirius muttered darkly as he felt suddenly a weight in his lap, looking down confused he suddenly spotted his little brother.

"Don't worry Sirius everything will be ok." Regulus said smiling as he snuggled up to his older brother.

"Awww…" most of the girls cooed and Narcissa smiled happily from between her two older sisters, maybie there was atleast a little hope that they can manage to bring the family back together if they don't let go of each others hand.

"Uhm…thanks Reg…" Sirius said as he wrapped his arms around his little brother.

**"It's because of you, Perce," said George seriously. "And there'll be little flags on the bonnets, with HB on them -"**

"I really love those two." James said as he tryed not to laugh.

**"- for Humongous Bighead," said Fred. **

They all laughed expect Molly who shook her head.

_**Everyone except Percy and Mrs Weasley snorted into their puddings. **_

"Arthur!" Molly said as she glared at her boyfriend.

"Sorry…" he said.

_**"Why are the Ministry providing cars, Father?" Percy asked again, in a dignified voice. **_

_**"Well, as we haven't got one any more," said Mr Weasley, "and as I work there, they're doing me a favour..." **_

"Yeah right," said James sarcastically.

_**His voice was casual, but Harry couldn't help noticing that Mr Weasley's ears had gone red, just like Ron's did when he was under pressure. **_

"That is a Weasley trait beside the hair color." Arthur pointed out.

_**"Good job, too," said Mrs Weasley briskly. "Do you realise how much luggage you've all got between you? A nice sight you'd be on the Muggle Underground... You are all packed, aren't you?" **_

_**"Ron hasn't put all his things in his trunk yet," said Percy, in a long-suffering voice. "He's dumped them on my bed." **__._

_**"You'd better go and pack properly, Ron, because we won't have much time in the morning," Mrs Weasley called down the table. Ron scowled at Percy. **_

_**After dinner, everyone felt very full and sleepy. One by one they made their way upstairs to their rooms to check their things for the next day. Ron and Percy were next door to Harry. **_

_**He had just closed and locked his own trunk when he heard angry voices through the wall, and went to see what was going on. The door of number twelve was ajar and Percy was shouting. **_

_**"It was here, on the bedside table, I took it off for polishing -" **_

"The twins probaby nocked the badge."

_**"I haven't touched it, all right?" Ron roared back. **_

_**"What's up?" said Harry. **_

_**"My Head Boy's badge has gone," said Percy, rounding on Harry. **_

_**"So's Scabbers's Rat Tonic," said Ron, throwing things out of his trunk to look. "I think I might have left it in the bar -" **_

_**"You're not going anywhere till you've found my badge!" yelled Percy. **_

_**"I'll get Scabbers's stuff, I'm packed," said Harry to Ron, and he went downstairs. **_

_**Harry was halfway along the passage to the bar, which was now very dark, when he heard another pair of angry voices coming from the parlour. **_

_**A second later, he recognised them as Mr and Mrs Weasley's. **_

"Harry it isn't noce to evesdrop." Lily said scolding.

_**He hesitated, not wanting them to know he'd heard them rowing, when the sound of his own name made him stop, and move closer to the parlour door. **_

_**"...makes no sense not to tell him," Mr Weasley was saying heatedly. "Harry's got a right to know. I've tried to tell Fudge, but he insists on treating Harry like a child. He's thirteen years old and-" **_

_**"Arthur, the truth would terrify him!" said Mrs Weasley shrilly. **_

"Oh please the boy had faced Voldy already three times, went past a Cerberus, got rid of an illegal dragon, faced an Aractomula and killed a basilisk so what the heck should frighten him?" Sirius asked.

"What did he do with the Dark Lord actually?" Bella asked.

"We will explain fully later."

_**"Do you really want to send Harry back to school with that hanging over him? For heaven's sake, he's **__**happy**__** not knowing!" **_

_**"I don't want him to be miserable, I want to put him on his guard!" retorted Mr Weasley. "You know what Harry and Ron are like, wandering off by themselves - they've ended up in the Forbidden Forest twice! **_

"True, the Potter name is a trouble magnet and Harry was int he forest twice, Ron only once." James said.

"Why was Harry twice in the Forest?" Andromeda asked worried.

"Once in his first year becouse of a detention and in his second when he and Ron crashed a flying car and it turned wild in the forest and where the two faced the Aractumula.

"The Forbidden orest is a dangerous place." Andromeda said.

_**But Harry mustn't do that this year! When I think what could have happened to him that night he ran away from home! If the Knight Bus hadn't picked him up, I'm prepared to bet he would have been dead before the Ministry found him." **_

"How much?" Sirius asked Molly grinning.

_**"But he's **__**not**__** dead, he's fine, so what's the point -" **_

_**"Molly, they say Sirius Black's mad, **_

"If you mean mad from anger for getting send to Azkaban then yes if you mean mad like crazy ok I'm sometimes a bit crazy, but not that much." Sirius said.

_**and maybe he is, but he was clever enough to escape from Azkaban,**_

"Awww…Arthur thanks for pointing out my genious." Sirius said sweetly.

_**and that's supposed to be impossible.**_

"Well now we atleast know that Sirius really must have a brain." Bella said grinning thought she was really proud deep down in her heart at her baby cousin for managing such a thing.

_**It's been three weeks, and no one's seen hide nor hair of him, and I don't care what Fudge keeps telling the **__**Daily Prophet**__**, we're no nearer catching Black than inventing self-spelling wands.**_

"They would come in some cases in handy."

_**The one thing we know for sure what Black's after -" **_

_**"But Harry will be perfectly safe at Hogwarts." **_

"He will be, because I don't intend to touch a hair on Harry's head!" shouted Sirius and Regulus hugged him.

_**"We thought Azkaban was perfectly safe. If Black can break out of Azkaban, he can break into Hogwarts." **_

_**"But no one's really sure that Black's after Harry -" **_

"Which I'm not." Sirius said.

_**There was a thud on wood, and Harry was sure Mr Weasley had banged his fist on the table. **_

_**"Molly, how many times do I have to tell you? They didn't report it in the press because Fudge wanted it kept quiet, but Fudge went to Azkaban the night Black escaped. The guards told Fudge that Black's been talking in his sleep for a while now. Always the same words: 'He's at Hogwarts... he's at Hogwarts.'**_

"I'M sure that I meant someone else." Sirius said.

"Yes and by the way Sirius always talks in his sleep." Remus said.

"Yep that is the ground why we put always a silencing charm on his bed after he is asleep." James said.

"You what?" Sirius asked shocked.

_**Black is deranged, Molly, and he wants Harry dead. **_

"I do not!" snapped Sirius.

_**If you ask me, he thinks murdering Harry will bring You-Know-Who back to power. **_

"That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard," said James flatly the others nodded.

_**Black lost everything the night Harry stopped You-Know-Who, **_

"Yeah - I lost my best friend and brother," said Sirius quietly and even if no one noticed it, but Petunia looked down saddly at Lily.

"How did a child stop the Dark Lord?" Bella asked.

"Later."

_**and he's had twelve years alone in Azkaban to brood on that..." **_

_**There was a silence. Harry leaned still closer to the door, desperate to hear more. **_

"What must Harry think of me?" asked Sirius sadly.

_**"Well, Arthur, you must do what you think is right. But you're forgetting Albus Dumbledore. I don't think anything could hurt Harry at Hogwarts while Dumbledore's Headmaster. I suppose he knows all about this?" **_

_**"Of course he knows. We had to ask him if he minds the Azkaban guards stationing themselves around the entrance to the school grounds. **_

"WHAT?" shouted everyone in shock at the thouht of Dementors in Hogwarts.

_**He wasn't happy about it, but he agreed." **_

"Who would?"

_**"Not happy? Why shouldn't he be happy, if they're there to catch Black?" **_

_**"Dumbledore isn't fond of the Azkaban guards,"**_

"Who would?"

_**said Mr Weasley heavily. "Nor am I, if it comes to that... but when you're dealing with a wizard like Black, you sometimes have to join forces with those you'd rather avoid." **_

_**"If they save Harry-" **_

_**"- then I will never say another word against them," said Mr Weasley wearily. "It's late, Molly, we'd better go up..." **_

_**Harry heard chairs move. As quietly as he could, he hurried down the passage to the bar and out of sight. The parlour door opened, and a few seconds later footsteps told him that Mr and Mrs Weasley were climbing the stairs. **_

_**The bottle of Rat Tonic was lying under the table they had sat at earlier. Harry waited until he heard Mr and Mrs Weasley's bedroom door close, then he headed back upstairs with the bottle. **_

_**Fred and George were crouching in the shadows on the landing, heaving with laughter as they listened to Percy dismantling his and Ron's room in the search for his badge. **_

"Well, well, I wonder who's got the badge?" asked Remus sarcastically.

_**"We've got it," Fred whispered to Harry. "We've been improving it." **_

_**The badge now read **__**Bighead Boy.**_

Everyone broke out laughing at this expect Molly who started scolding the twins again for they immature behavior towards they older brother.

_**Harry forced a laugh, went to give Ron the rat tonic, then shut himself in his room and lay down on the bed. **_

_**So Sirius Black was after him. **_

"No Harry I would never do that…" Sirius said saddly.

_**That explained everything. Fudge had been lenient with him because he was so relieved to find him alive. He'd made Harry promise to stay in Diagon Alley, where there were plenty of wizards to keep an eye on him. And he was sending two Ministry cars to take them all to the station tomorrow, so the Weasley's could look after Harry until he was on the train. **_

_**Harry lay listening to the muffled shouting next door and wondered why he didn't feel more scared. **_

_**Sirius Black had murdered thirteen people with one curse; **_

"Which I didn't."

"Sirius we know so shut up before I hex you." Bella said annoyed.

_**Mr and Mrs Weasley thought Harry would be panic-stricken if he knew the truth. But Harry happened to agree whole-heartedly with Mrs Weasley that the safest place on earth was wherever Albus Dumbledore happened to be. Didn't people always say that Dumbledore was the only person Lord Voldemort had ever been afraid of? **_

"Damn straight!" everyone said.

_**Surely Black, as Voldemort's right-hand man, would be just as frightened of him? **_

"I'm not scared from Dumbledore and really, the one who can imagine me as Voldy's right hand should hold they hand up." No one moved, but bust out laughind at the image Sirius woud probably drive the Dark Lord crazy in a minute.

**And then there were these Azkaban guards everyone kept talking about. They seemed to scare most people senseless, **

"They do," said James, the others noddeing sourly.

_**and if they were stationed all around the school, Black's chances of getting inside seemed very remote. **_

_**No, all in all, the thing that bothered Harry the most was the fact that his chances of visiting Hogsmeade now looked like zero. Nobody would want Harry to leave the safety of the castle until Black was caught; in fact, Harry suspected his every move would be carefully watched until the danger had passed. **_

_**He scowled at the dark ceiling. Did they think he couldn't look after himself? He'd escaped Lord Voldemort three times, he wasn't completely useless... **_

"True Harry, but we still want you safe." Lily said.

_**Unbidden, the image of the beast in the shadows of Mongolia Crescent crossed his mind. **__**What to do when you know the worst is coming... **_

_**"I'm **__**not**__** going to be murdered," Harry said out loud. **_

_**"That's the spirit, dear," said his mirror sleepily. **_

"So the chap is over who reads next?" James asked.

"I will." Andromeda said.

_To be continued… _


	6. Absolute confusion

VI. Absolute confusion, _The Dementor _

* * *

Looking down at the title Andromeda grew deathly pale, her hands shaking.

"No…ple…please no…" she said in a trembling voice making everyone stare at ther nervously.

"Dromeda snap out of it and read." Bellatrix said as she put both of her hands on her shoulders.

"O…ok…" she answered her twin. "_**The Dementor**_"

"See, that wasn't so hard." Bella said grinning, but then…

"…"

"**DEMENTOR!" **screamed the whole group in horrot at this was the last straw as suddenly the door was broken down and a silver peacock, a silver dog and a silver eagle appeared in the room.

Looking to the demolished door they saw Mr. Malfoy, Black and Potter standing there with drawn wands and determined expressions that is before they saw the children sitting on the ground with a book, giving them odd looks while they three patron uses looked clueless around because there was no sign of a Dementor.

"Yes father?" Lucius asked his father with a little forced smile on his lips who was starting to turn the same shade of red as the other two men on his side.

"Brilliant work dear." Allana said to her flushed husband, Lily used this time to get her sister and the other two Muggles down and making them normal again and luckily they were to shocked to say something and because both Vernon and Marge has silencing charms on themselves.

"Hay uncle Cygnus nice break in, hay aunty Druella." Called Regulus suddenly from the couch waving at the two adults who just noticed him.

"Regulus Arcturus Black does your mother know that you are here?" Druella asked her nephew.

"I left her a note because she will not have anything against me being here by you two." He said.

"Well then we will also listen to this book." Allana suggested and the parents nodded not noticing the strange glances the kids shared.

"Dromeda continue reading." James said.

_**Tom woke Harry next morning with his usual toothless grin and a cup of tea. **_

_**Harry got dressed and was just persuading a disgruntled Hedwig to get back into her cage when Ron banged his way into the room, pulling a sweatshirt over his head and looking irritable. **_

"Poor guy." James said.

_**"The sooner we get on the train, the better," he said. "At least I can get away from Percy at Hogwarts. Now he's accusing me of dripping tea on his photo of Penelope Clearwater. You know," Ron grimaced, "his **__**girlfriend. **__**She's hidden her face under the frame because her nose has gone all blotchy..." **_

They all laughed.

_**"I've got to tell you something," Harry began, but they were interrupted by Fred and George, who had looked in to congratulate Ron on infuriating Percy again. **_

_**They headed down to breakfast, where Mr. Weasley**_

"Me." Arthur commented to the adults who nodded.

_**was reading the front page of the **__**Daily Prophet**__** with a furrowed brow and Mrs. Weasley was telling Hermione and Ginny about a Love Potion she'd made as a young girl.**_

Molly blushed at this while the three adult women remembered they first love potion.

"Though I think I have messed up the indingrements." Said Mrs. Malfoy as she trew a side glance at her housban who paled.

"DARIA!" he said in shock.

"Only joking dear." Daria Malfoy said giggling to the blond while the other tried to not laugh.

"Hey Lucius, I really like your mum." James whispered to the blonde.

"Yep, she is great."

_**All three of them were rather giggly. **_

"Typicall girls." Sirius said, but suddenly cowered as all females int he room started glarring at him.

_**"What were you saying?" Ron asked Harry, as they sat down. **_

_**"Later," Harry muttered, as Percy stormed in. **_

_**Harry had no chance to speak to Ron or Hermione in the chaos of leaving; they were too busy heaving all their trunks down the Leaky Cauldron's narrow staircase and piling them up near the door, with Hedwig and Hermes, Percy's screech owl, perched on top in their cages. A small wickerwork basket stood beside the heap of trunks, spitting loudly. **_

_**"It's all right, Crookshanks," Hermione cooed through the wickerwork, "I'll let you out on the train." **_

_**"You won't," snapped Ron. "What about poor Scabbers, eh?" **_

_**He pointed at his chest, where a large lump indicated that Scabbers was curled up in his pocket. **_

_**Mr. Weasley, who had been outside waiting for the Ministry cars, stuck his head inside. **_

"Congratulations Arthur, your father would have been proud."

"Thank you Mr. Potter."

_**"They're here," he said. "Harry, come on." **_

_**Mr. Weasley marched Harry across the short stretch of pavement towards the first of the two old-fashioned dark green cars,**_

Sirius groaned at this.

_**each of which was driven by a furtive-looking wizard, wearing a suit of emerald velvet. **_

"What is up with the Slytherin color?" Alphonse Potter asked incrediously.

"Becouse Slytherin colors are sexy." Abraxas replied grinning as Alphonse glarred at him.

_**"In you get, Harry," said Mr Weasley, glancing up and down the crowded street. **_

"Oh please." Sirius said while rolling his eyes.

"Sorry Sirius." Arthur said and the adults looked confused.

_**Harry got into the back of the car, and was shortly joined by Hermione, Ron and, to Ron's disgust, Percy. **_

_**The journey to King's Cross was very uneventful compared to Harry's trip on the Knight Bus. The Ministry of Magic cars seemed almost ordinary, though Harry noticed that they could slide through gaps that Uncle Vernon's new company car certainly couldn't have managed. **_

"Erm…" Mr. Evans started, but stopped.

_**They reached King's Cross with twenty minutes to spare; the Ministry drivers found them trolleys, unloaded their trunks, touched their hats to Mr. Weasley and drove away, somehow managing to jump to the head of an unmoving queue for the traffic lights. **_

_**Mr. Weasley kept close to Harry's elbow all the way into the station. **_

_**"Right then," he said, glancing around them. "Let's do this in pairs, as there are so many of us. I'll go through first with Harry." **_

_**Mr. Weasley strolled towards the barrier between platforms nine and ten, pushing Harry's trolley and apparently very interested in the InterCity 125 that had just arrived at platform nine. With a meaningful look at Harry, he leaned casually against the barrier. Harry imitated him. **_

_**Next moment, they had fallen sideways through the solid metal onto platform nine and three-quarters and looked up to see the Hogwarts Express, a scarlet steam engine, puffing smoke over a platform packed with witches and wizards seeing their children onto the train. **_

_**Percy and Ginny suddenly appeared behind Harry. They were panting, and had apparently taken the barrier at a run. **_

_**"Ah, there's Penelope!" said Percy, smoothing his hair and going pink again. **_

The boys snickered at this.

_**Ginny caught Harry's eye, and they both turned away to hide their laughter as Percy strode over to a girl with long, curly hair, walking with his chest thrown out so that she couldn't miss his shiny badge. **_

Everyone laughed at Percy's behavior.

_**Once the remaining Weasleys**_

"You mean to say…" Abraxas started shocked.

"Expect Harry and Hermione all mine and Molly's" Arthur replied blushing.

"Good for you that the Prewett family has absolutely no blood relations till that time to the Black family." Cygnus said to Arthur.

"Excouse me, but what does that mean?" Mrs. Evans asked.

"You see the Black family is rather large and you could call them the binding points of most pureblood families even in this room we are bound by a faint blood line to the Potter, Weasley, Evan, and Flint family." Druella explained.

"And soon to the Prewett, Lastrange and Malfoy family." Sirius chimmed in grinning as a few people blushed while the parents beamed.

_**and Hermione had joined them, Harry and Mr. Weasley led the way to the end of the train, passed packed compartments, to a carriage that looked quite empty. They loaded the trunks into it, stowed Hedwig and Crookshanks in the luggage rack, then went back outside to say goodbye to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. **_

_**Mrs. Weasley kissed all her children, then Hermione, and finally, Harry. **_

_**He was embarrassed, but really quite pleased, when she gave him an extra hug. **_

Lily smiled at this.

_**"Do take care, won't you, Harry?" she said as she straightened up, her eyes oddly bright. **_

_**Then she opened her enormous handbag and said, "I've made you all sandwiches. Here you are, Ron... no, they're not corned beef... Fred? Where's Fred? Here you are, dear..." **_

_**"Harry," said Mr Weasley quietly, "come over here a moment." **_

_**He jerked his head towards a pillar, and Harry followed him behind it, leaving the others crowded around Mrs Weasley. **_

_**"There's something I've got to tell you before you leave -" said Mr. Weasley, in a tense voice. **_

"Well, Harry already knows," said Peter.

_**"It's all right, Mr. Weasley," said Harry. "I already know." **_

_**"You know? How could you know?" **_

_**"I - er - I heard you and Mrs. Weasley talking last night. I couldn't help hearing," Harry added quickly. "Sorry -" **_

_**"That's not the way I'd have chosen for you to find out," said Mr. Weasley, looking anxious. **_

_**"No - honestly, it's OK. This way, you haven't broken your word to Fudge and I know what's going on." **_

_**"Harry, you must be very scared -" **_

_**"I'm not," said Harry sincerely. "Really," he added, because Mr. Weasley was looking disbelieving. "I'm not trying to be a hero, but seriously, Sirius Black can't be worse than Voldemort, can he?"**_

"WHAT!"

"Sirius was framed for mass murdering." Regulus said.

_**Mr. Weasley flinched at the sound of the name, but overlooked it. **_

_**"Harry, I knew you were, well, made of stronger stuff than Fudge seems to think, and I'm obviously pleased that you're not scared, but -" **_

_**"Arthur!" called Mrs. Weasley, who was now shepherding the rest onto the train. "Arthur, what are you doing? It's about to go!" **_

_**"He's coming, Molly!" said Mr. Weasley, but he turned back to Harry and kept talking in a lower and more hurried voice. "Listen, I want you to give me your word -" **_

_**"- that I'll be a good boy and stay in the castle?" said Harry gloomily. **_

_**"Not entirely," said Mr Weasley, who looked more serious than Harry had ever seen him. "Harry, swear to me you won't go looking for Black." **_

_**Harry stared. "What?" **_

_**There was a loud whistle. Guards were walking along the train, slamming all the doors shut. **_

_**"Promise me, Harry," said Mr Weasley, talking more quickly still, "that whatever happens -" **_

_**"Why would I go looking for someone I know wants to kill me?" said Harry blankly. **_

"Now that is hillarious Sirius and trying to murder a child." Alphone Potter laughed while Mr Black was already rolling on the floor laughing.

_**"Swear to me that whatever you might hear -" **_

_**"Arthur, quickly!" cried Mrs Weasley. **_

_**Steam was billowing from the train; it had started to move. **_

_**Harry ran to the compartment door and Ron threw it open and stood back to let him on. They leaned out of the window and waved at Mr. and Mrs. Weasley until the train turned a corner and blocked them from view. **_

_**"I need to talk to you in private," Harry muttered to Ron and Hermione as the train picked up speed. **_

_**"Go away, Ginny," said Ron. **_

"That was quite rude," said Lily.

_**"Oh, that's nice," said Ginny huffily, and she stalked off. **_

_**Harry, Ron and Hermione set off down the corridor, looking for an empty compartment, but all were full except for the one at the very end of the train. **_

_**This only had one occupant, a man sitting fast asleep next to the window. Harry, Ron and Hermione checked on the threshold. **_

_**The Hogwarts Express was usually reserved for students and they had never seen an adult there before, except for the witch who pushed the food trolley. **_

_**The stranger was wearing an extremely shabby set of wizard's robes which had been darned in several places. He looked ill and exhausted. Though he seemed quite young, his light-brown hair was flecked with grey. **_

The kids all turned in Remus's direction thinking hard.

_**"Who d'you reckon he is?" Ron hissed, as they sat down and slid the door shut, taking the seats furthest away from the window. **_

Andromeda suddenly looked up with a little smile.

"This will be interesting." She said and Remus gulped.

_**"Professor R. J. Lupin," whispered Hermione at once. **_

"…"

"MOONY IS BECOMMING A PROFESSOR!" screamed the Mauraders in joy and amusement while hugging they flushed friend.

"Uhm…sorry Remus already." Severus said to the boy.

"No problem Severus." He answered.

"Do you understand any of this?" Alphonse asked Abraxas.

"Nothing."

"The book is from the future." Regulus chimmed in happily.

"WHAT!" the adults yelled.

"Yep and now let Dromeda read." Sirius said.

_**"How d'you know that?" **_

_**"It's on his case," replied Hermione, pointing at a luggage rack over the man's head, **_

_**where there was a small, battered case held together with a large quantity of neatly knotted string. The name "Professor R. J. Lupin" was stamped across one corner in peeling letters. **_

"Fudge always hated werewolves ." Remus whispered to his friends.

_**"Wonder what he teaches?" said Ron, frowning at Professor Lupin's pallid profile. **_

_**"That's obvious," whispered Hermione. "There's only one vacancy, isn't there? Defence Against the Dark Arts." **_

_**Harry, Ron and Hermione had already had two Defence Against the Dark Arts teachers, both of whom had only lasted one year. There were rumours that the job was jinxed. **_

"What does that mean?" Mrs. Evans asked couriously, she never asked her daughter about that.

"I means that since years all teachers for this job stay only for one year."

"Oh."

_**"Well, I hope he's up to it," said Ron doubtfully. **_

"Of Course he is!" snapped James and Sirius in union.

_**"He looks like one good hex would finish him off, doesn't he? **_

_**Anyway ..." he turned to Harry, "what were you going to tell us?" **_

_**Harry explained all about Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's argument and the warning Mr Weasley had just given him. When he'd finished, Ron looked thunderstruck, and Hermione had her hands over her mouth. **_

_**She finally lowered them to say, "Sirius Black escaped to come after **__**you? **__**Oh, Harry... you'll have to be really, really careful. Don't go looking for trouble, Harry..." **_

_**"I don't go looking for trouble," said Harry, nettled. "Trouble usually finds **__**me**__**." **_

_**"How thick would Harry have to be, to go looking for a nutter who wants to kill him?" said Ron shakily. **_

_**They were taking it worse than Harry had expected. Both Ron and Hermione seemed to be much more frightened of Black than he was. **_

_**"No one knows how he got out of Azkaban," said Ron uncomfortably. "No one's ever done it before. And he was a top-security prisoner, too." **_

"Wow." Said the wizard and witch part of the group.

"My big brother is the best." Regulus said proudly and Sirius blushed.

_**"But they'll catch him, won't they?" said Hermione earnestly. "I mean, they've got all the Muggles looking out for him, too..." **_

_**"What's that noise?" said Ron suddenly. **_

_**A faint, tinny sort of whistle was coming from somewhere. They looked all around the compartment. **_

_**"It's coming from your trunk, Harry," said Ron, standing up and reaching into the luggage rack. A moment later he had pulled the Pocket Sneakoscope out from between Harry's robes. It was spinning very fast in the palm of Ron's hand, and glowing brilliantly. **_

"Shouldn't this only do it if you are in danger?" Cygnus asked and Andromeda suddenly gasped feaing that what was comming.

_**"Is that a Sneakoscope?" said Hermione interestedly, standing up for a better look. **_

_**"Yeah... mind you, it's a very cheap one," Ron said. "It went haywire just as I was tying it to Errol's leg to send it to Harry." **_

_**"Were you doing anything untrustworthy at the time?" said Hermione shrewdly. **_

_**"No! Well ... I wasn't supposed to be using Errol. You know he's not really up to long journeys ... **_

They all laughed.

_**but how else was I supposed to get Harry's present to him?" **_

_**"Stick it back in the trunk," Harry advised, as the Sneakoscope whistled piercingly, "or it'll wake him up." **_

_**He nodded towards Professor Lupin. Ron stuffed the Sneakoscope into a particularly horrible pair of Uncle Vernon's old socks, which deadened the sound, then closed the lid of the trunk on it. **_

_**"We could get it checked in Hogsmeade," said Ron, sitting back down. "They sell that sort of thing in Dervish and Bangs, magical instruments and stuff, Fred and George told me." **_

_**"Do you know much about Hogsmeade?" asked Hermione keenly. "I've read it's the only entirely non-Muggle settlement in Britain -" **_

_**"Yeah, I think it is," said Ron in an offhand sort of way, "but that's not why I want to go. I just want to get inside Honeydukes!" **_

_**"What's that?" said Hermione. **_

_**"It's the sweetshop," said Ron, a dreamy look coming over his face, "where they've got everything ... Pepper Imps - they make you smoke at the mouth - and great fat Chocoballs full of strawberry mousse and clotted cream, and really excellent sugar quills which you can suck in class and just look like you're thinking what to write next -" **_

"Just keep rubbing it in, Ron," said James bitterly.

_**"But Hogsmeade's a very interesting place, isn't it?" Hermione pressed on eagerly. "In Sites of Historical Sorcery it says the inn was the headquarters for the 1612 goblin rebellion, **_

_**and the Shrieking Shack's supposed to be the most severely haunted building in Britain -" **_

At that four certain friends started grinning knowingly.

_**"- and massive sherbet balls that make you levitate a few inches off the ground while you're sucking them," said Ron, who was plainly not listening to a word Hermione was saying. **_

_**Hermione looked round at Harry. **_

_**"Won't it be nice to get out of the school for a bit and explore Hogsmeade?" **_

The kids groaned and glared at the Dursleys.

"_**Spect it will," said Harry heavily. "You'll have to tell me when you've found out." **_

_**"What d'you mean?" said Ron. **_

_**"I can't go. The Dursleys didn't sign my permission form, and Fudge wouldn't, either." **_

_**Ron looked horrified. **_

_**"**__**You're not allowed to come?**__** But - no way - McGonagall or someone will give you permission -" **_

"Yeah right," said Sirius sarcastically. "With me on the loose, even Dumbledore won't give Harry permission."

_**Harry gave a hollow laugh. Professor McGonagall, Head of Gryffindor house, was very strict. **_

"That one is really true about Minerva."

"By the way by Dursleys are they speaking about Vernon?" Mrs. Evans asked.

"Yes." The children growled making the parents exchange confused glances.

_**"- or we can ask Fred and George, they know every secret passage out of the castle-" **_

_**"Ron!" said Hermione sharply. "I don't think Harry should be sneaking out of school with Black on the loose -" **_

_**"Yeah, I expect that's what McGonagall will say when I ask for permission," said Harry bitterly. **_

_**"But if **__**we're**__** with him," said Ron spiritedly to Hermione, "Black wouldn't dare -" **_

_**"Oh, Ron, don't talk rubbish," snapped Hermione. "Black's already murdered a whole bunch of people in the middle of a crowded street, **_

"I have not!" retorted Sirius.

_**do you really think he's going to worry about attacking Harry just because we're there?" **_

_**She was fumbling with the straps of Crookshanks's basket as she spoke. **_

_**"Don't let that thing out!" Ron said, but too late; Crookshanks leapt lightly from the basket, stretched, yawned, and sprang onto Ron's knees; the lump in Ron's pocket trembled and he shoved Crookshanks angrily away. **_

_**"Get out of here!" **_

_**"Ron, don't!" said Hermione angrily. **_

_**Ron was about to answer back when Professor Lupin stirred. They all tensed and kept still as though if they moved, Professor Lupin would hear them and wake. They watched him apprehensively, but he simply turned his head the other way, mouth slightly open, and slept on.**_

_**The Hogwarts Express moved steadily north and the scenery outside the window became wilder and darker while the clouds overhead thickened. People were chasing backwards and forwards past the door of their compartment. Crookshanks had now settled in an empty seat, his squashed face turned towards Ron, his yellow eyes on Ron's top pocket. **_

_**At one o'clock the plump witch with the food trolley arrived at the compartment door. "D'you think we should wake him up?" said Ron awkwardly, nodding towards Professor Lupin. "He looks like he could do with some food." **_

"Definiately the day after a full moon I always look like that." Remus commented and the others nodded.

"Wait…" Mr. Potter said.

"YOU ARE A WEREWOLF!" most adults and two sisters shouted.

"Yep he is and also a lovely one." Narcissa said smiling at Remus.

"Oookey…" said Alphonse while the Muggles stared wide eyed at Remus.

_**Hermione approached Professor Lupin cautiously. **_

_**"Er - Professor?" she said. "Excuse me - Professor?"**_

_**He didn't move. **_

_**"Don't worry, dear," said the witch, as she handed Harry a large stack of Cauldron Cakes. "If he's hungry when he wakes, I'll be up front with the driver." **_

_**"I suppose he **__**is**__** asleep?" said Ron quietly, as the witch slid the compartment door closed. "I mean - he hasn't died, has he?" **_

_**"No, no, he's breathing," whispered Hermione, taking the Cauldron Cake Harry passed her. **_

_**He might not be very good company, but Professor Lupin's presence in their compartment had its uses. **_

_**Mid-afternoon, just as it had started to rain, blurring the rolling hills outside the window, they heard footsteps in the corridor again, and their three least favourite people appeared at the door: Draco Malfoy,**_

"Some things stay in the family." Alphonse muttered while Abraxas beamed proudly and the black cat gave out a laugh like sound at the muttering.

_**flanked by his cronies, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle. **_

_**Draco Malfoy and Harry had been enemies ever since they had met on their very first train journey to Hogwarts.**_

"Is this Harry my grandchild?" Allana asked and James nodded. "Then things stay in the family also by the third generation." She said while throwing a disapriwing look at her housband who tried to make an innocent face.

_**Malfoy, who had a pale, pointed, sneering face, was in Slytherin house; he played Seeker on the Slytherin Quidditch team, **_

"Good…did I say something wrong?" Abraxas suddenly asked as he saw the gloomy face of his son and his best friend.

_**the same position that Harry played on the Gryffindor team. **_

"YES!" Alphonse cheered.

_**Crabbe and Goyle seemed to exist to do Malfoy's bidding. They were both wide and muscley; Crabbe was the taller, with a pudding-basin haircut and a very thick neck; Goyle had short, bristly hair and long, gorilla arms. **_

"That is some sort of a male family trait by them the females int he family look usualy strikin g beautifull." Cygrnus commented.

"Really?" the boys asked shocked.

_**"Well, look who it is," said Malfoy in his usual lazy drawl, pulling open the compartment door. "Potty and the Weasel." **_

"Andi t is a male Malfoy family trait that you can't come up with as good insult." Alphonse remarked as Abraxas glared at him.

_**Crabbe and Goyle chuckled trollishly. **_

_**"I heard your father finally got his hands on some gold this summer, Weasley," said Malfoy. "Did your mother die of shock?" **_

"And this personality is all your foult." Narcissa hissed as she glared at Abraxas who stared confused at the girl.

_**Ron stood up so quickly he knocked Crookshanks's basket to the floor. Professor Lupin gave a snort. **_

_**"Who's that?" said Malfoy, taking an automatic step backwards as he spotted Lupin. **_

_**"New teacher," said Harry, who had got to his feet, too, in case he needed to hold Ron back. "What were you saying, Malfoy?" **_

_**"C'mon," he muttered resentfully to Crabbe and Goyle, and they disappeared. **_

"Typical Malfoy."

"Watch it Potter."

"Both of you shut up and let Andromeda continue reading." Daria snapped.

_**Malfoy's pale eyes narrowed; he wasn't fool enough to pick a fight right under a teacher's nose. **_

"Unlike some," muttered Remus, looking pointedly at James and Sirius.

_**Harry and Ron sat down again, Ron massaging his knuckles. **_

_**"I'm not going to take any rubbish from Malfoy this year," he said angrily. "I mean it. If he makes one more crack about my family, I'm going to get hold of his head and -" **_

_**Ron made a violent gesture in mid-air. **_

_**"Ron," hissed Hermione, pointing at Professor Lupin, "be **__**careful**__** ..." **_

_**But Professor Lupin was still fast asleep. **_

_**The rain thickened as the train sped yet further north; the windows were now a solid, shimmering grey, which gradually darkened until lanterns flickered into life all along the corridors and over the luggage racks. The train rattled, the rain hammered, the wind roared, but still, Professor Lupin slept. **_

_**"We must be nearly there," said Ron, leaning forward to look past Professor Lupin at the now completely black window. **_

_**The words had hardly left him when the train started to slow down. **_

_**"Brilliant," said Ron, getting up and walking carefully past Professor Lupin to try and see outside. "I'm starving, I want to get to the feast..." **_

"Just like Sirius," said James, his parents and the Blacks.

_**"We can't be there yet," said Hermione, checking her watch. **_

_**"So why're we stopping?" **_

_**The train was getting slower and slower. As the noise of the pistons fell away, the wind and rain sounded louder than ever against the windows. **_

_**Harry, who was nearest the door, got up to look into the corridor. All along the carriage, heads were sticking curiously out of their compartments. **_

"That is rather unusual." Druella commented.

_**The train came to a stop with a jolt and distant thuds and bangs told them that luggage had fallen out of the racks. Then, without warning, all the lamps went out and they were plunged into total darkness. **_

_**"What's going on?" said Ron's voice from behind Harry. **_

_**"Ouch!" gasped Hermione. "Ron, that was my foot!" **_

_**Harry felt his way back to his seat. **_

_**"D'you think we've broken down?" **_

_**There was a squeaking sound, and Harry saw the dim black outline of Ron, wiping a patch clean on the window and peering out. **_

_**"There's something moving out there," Ron said. "I think people are coming aboard..." **_

_**The compartment door suddenly opened and someone fell painfully over Harry's legs. **_

_**"Sorry! D'you know what's going on? Ouch! Sorry -" **_

_**"Hello, Neville," said Harry, feeling around in the dark and pulling Neville up by his cloak. **_

_**"Harry? Is that you? What's happening?" **_

_**"No idea! Sit down -" **_

_**There was a loud hissing and a yelp of pain; Neville had tried to sit on Crookshanks. **_

_**"I'm going to go and ask the driver what's going on," came Hermione's voice. **_

_**Harry felt her pass him, heard the door slide open again and then a thud and two loud squeals of pain. **_

_**"Who's that?" **_

_**"Who's **__**that**__**?" **_

_**"Ginny?" **_

_**"Hermione?" **_

_**"What are you doing?" **_

_**"I was looking for Ron -" **_

_**"Come in and sit down -" **_

_**"Not here!" said Harry hurriedly. "**__**I'm**__** here!" **_

At this the kids sniggered.

_**"Ouch!" said Neville. **_

_**"Quiet!" said a hoarse voice suddenly. **_

"Remus is awake at last!" exclaimed Sirius. Remus gave him a look.

_**Professor Lupin had appeared to have woken up at last. Harry could hear movements in his corner. None of them spoke. **_

_**There was a soft, crackling noise and a shivering light filled the compartment. Professor Lupin appeared to be holding a handful of flames. They illuminated his tired grey face, but his eyes looked alert and wary. **_

_**"Stay where you are," he said, in the same hoarse voice, and he got slowly to his feet with his handful of fire held out in front of him. **_

_**But the door slid slowly open before Lupin could reach it. Standing in the doorway, illuminated by the shivering flames in Lupin's hand, was**_

Andromeda suddenly gasped in horror, face turning white as she nearly dropped the book.

"Oh no…" she whispered before continuing with a shaking voice.

_**a cloaked figure that towered to the ceiling. Its face was completely hidden beneath its hood. Harry's eyes darted downwards, and what he saw made his stomach contract. **_

_**There was a hand protruding from the cloak and it was glistening, greyish, slimy-looking and scabbed, like something dead that had decayed in water... **_

Everyone shiwered and gasped in horror.

"Uh…Petunia yo…you remember Sev telling me about the Guards of Azkaban…" Lily whispered to her sister.

"Y…yes…"

"Now…uhm…this is one of them…" she said and her sister gasped in horror, she always thought that people who broke the law should always be in prison, b út not in a prison where such creatures are the guards.

Suddenly went the lights out and it was already dark outside and everyone screamed in fright.

"_Lumos" _sounded many shouts and all wands tips glowed in a green light before the light faded after Abraxas lit the fireplace.

"Should we go to sleep now or…" but Allana was interupted by her son.

"No mum, we need to know what happens." James said pleedingly and his mother smiled at him softly. "Ok, but after this chapter we go to sleep and continue tomorrow." She said and everyone nodded.

_**It was visible only for a split second. As though the creature beneath the cloak sensed Harry's gaze, the hand was suddenly withdrawn into the folds of the black material. **_

_**And then the thing beneath the hood, whatever it was, drew a long, slow, rattling breath, as though it was trying to suck something more than air from its surroundings. **_

_**And an intense cold swept over them all. Harry felt his own breath catch in his chest. **_

"LEAVE THEM ALONE THEY ARE ONLY CHILDREN!" Allana screamed as everyone scotted nearer together.

_**The cold went deeper than his skin. It was inside his chest, it was inside his very heart... **_

"The power of a Dementor which you feel when near you…" Abraxas Malfoy said in a faint tone making the Muggles stare in fear at the book.

_**Harry's eyes rolled up into his head. He couldn't see. He was drowning in cold. There was a rushing in his ears as though of water. He was being dragged downwards, the roaring growing louder... **_

_**And then, from far away, he heard screaming, terrible, terrified, pleading screams. He wanted to help whoever it was, he tried to move his arms, but he couldn't... **_

"HARRY!" both James and Lily yelled in worry.

_**a thick white fog was swirling around him, inside him- **_

_**"Harry! Harry! Are you all right?" **_

_**Someone was slapping his face. **_

_**"W-what?" **_

_**Harry opened his eyes. There were lanterns above him, and the floor was shaking - the Hogwarts Express was moving again and the lights had come back on. He seemed to have slid out of his seat onto the floor. **_

_**Ron and Hermione were kneeling next to him, and above them he could see Neville and Professor Lupin watching. Harry felt very sick; when he put up his hand to push his glasses back on, he felt cold sweat on his face. **_

_**Ron and Hermione heaved him back onto his seat. **_

_**"Are you OK?" asked Ron nervously. **_

_**"Yeah," said Harry, looking quickly towards the door. The hooded creature had vanished. "What happened? Where's that - that thing? Who screamed?" **_

_**"No one screamed," said Ron, more nervously still. **_

_**Harry looked round the bright compartment. Ginny and Neville looked back at him, both very pale. **_

_**"But I heard screaming -" **_

_**A loud snap made them all jump. Professor Lupin was breaking an enormous slab of chocolate into pieces. **_

_**"Here," he said to Harry, handing him a particularly large piece. "Eat it. It'll help." **_

_**Harry took the chocolate but didn't eat it. **_

"That reminds me." Remus said as he took out a big bowl filled with chocolate, after he put it down grabbed everyone a big bar and started wolfing it down.

_**"What was that thing?" he asked Lupin. **_

_**"A Dementor," said Lupin, who was now giving chocolate to everybody else. "One of the Dementors of Azkaban." **_

_**Everyone stared at him. Professor Lupin crumpled up the empty chocolate wrapper and put it in his pocket. **_

_**"Eat," he repeated. "It'll help. I need to speak to the driver, excuse me..." **_

_**He strolled past Harry and disappeared into the corridor. **_

_**"Are you sure you're OK, Harry?" said Hermione, watching Harry anxiously. **_

_**"I don't get it... what happened?" said Harry, wiping more sweat off his face. **_

_**"Well - that thing - the Dementor - stood there and looked around **_

_**(I mean, I think it did, I couldn't see its face)**_

"Believe me child you don't want to ever see that what is hidden under that hood." Abraxas Malfoy said.

_**- and you - you -" **_

_**"I though you were having a fit or something," said Ron, who still looked scared. "You went sort of rigid and fell out of your seat and started twitching-" **_

The female part were near tears while the male adults expect Mr. Evans ranted about how responsiebeles a person could be to send a Dementor on a train filled with children witout atleast two Aurors to hold it in place and that brought them to the point WHY couldn't they syend Aurors on the train.

_**"And Professor Lupin stepped over you, and walked towards the Dementor, and pulled out his wand," said Hermione. **_

_**"And he said 'None of us is hiding Sirius Black under our cloaks. Go' **_

"Sirius…" Remus started, but Sirius held his hand up.

"Don't worry Remy, the Ministry probably filled your head with to many crap, but deep down you are still my friend so I have no ground to be mad at you." Sirius said smiling as he hugged his friend in reasurance.

"Thanks Sirius."

_**But the Dementor didn't move, so Lupin muttered something, and a silvery thing shot out of his wand at it, and it turned round and sort of glided away..." **_

"Something li…like whe…when the door broke down?" Petunia asked carefully.

"Yes dear that was a Patronus charm the only thing which can protect you from a Dementor." Allana explained. "_Expectro Patronum"_ she said softly as a silver swan flew out of her wand.

_**"It was horrible," said Neville, in a higher voice than usual. "Did you feel how cold it went when it came in?" **_

_**"I felt weird," said Ron, shifting his shoulders uncomfortably. "Like I'd never be cheerful again..." **_

_**Ginny, who was huddled in her corner looking nearly as bad as Harry felt, gave a small sob; Hermione went over and put a comforting arm around her. **_

_**"But didn't any of you - fall off your seats?" said Harry awkwardly. **_

_**"No," said Ron, looking anxiously at Harry again. "Ginny was shaking like mad, though..." **_

_**Harry didn't understand. He felt weak and shivery, as though he was recovering from a bad bout of flu; he also felt the beginnings of shame. Why had he gone to pieces like that, when no one else had? **_

"People who lived through more tragedies are more sensitive to them." Severus said.

_**Professor Lupin had come back. He paused as he entered and said, with a small smile, "I haven't poisoned that chocolate, you know..." **_

Everyone chuckled at this.

_**Harry took a bite and to his great surprise felt warmth spread suddenly to the tips of his fingers and toes. **_

_**"We'll be at Hogwarts in ten minutes," said Professor Lupin. "Are you all right, Harry?" **_

_**Harry didn't ask how Professor Lupin knew his name. **_

_**"Fine," he muttered, embarrassed. **_

_**They didn't talk much during the remainder of the journey. At long last, the train stopped at Hogsmeade station, and there was a great scramble to get out; owls hooted, cats meowed, and Neville's pet toad croaked loudly from under his hat. **_

_**It was freezing on the tiny platform; rain was driving down in icy sheets. **_

_**"Firs'-years this way!" called a familiar voice. Harry, Ron and Hermione turned and saw the gigantic outline of Hagrid at the other end of the platform, beckoning the terrified-looking new students forward for their traditional journey across the lake. **_

_**"All righ', you three?" Hagrid yelled over the heads of the crowd. They waved at him, but had no chance to speak to him because the mass of people around them was shunting them away along the platform. **_

_**Harry, Ron and Hermione followed the rest of the school out onto a rough mud track, where at least a hundred stagecoaches awaited the remaining students, each pulled, Harry could only assume, by an invisible horse, because when they climbed inside one and shut the door, the coach set off all by itself, bumping and swaying in procession. **_

"I like the Thestrals." Severus said fondly.

_**The coach smelled faintly of mould and straw. Harry felt better since the chocolate, but still weak. Ron and Hermione kept looking at him sideways, as though frightened he might collapse again. **_

_**As the carriage trundled towards a pair of magnificent wrought-iron gates, flanked with stone columns topped with winged boars, Harry saw two more towering, hooded Dementors, standing guard on either side. **_

They all shuddered, Peter the most.

_**A wave of cold sickness threatened to engulf him again; he leant back into the lumpy seat and closed his eyes until they had passed through the gates. **_

_**The carriage picked up speed on the long, sloping drive up to the castle; Hermione was leaning out of the tiny window, watching the many turrets and towers draw nearer. At last, the carriage swayed to a halt, and Hermione and Ron got out. **_

_**As Harry stepped down, a drawling, delighted voice sounded in his ear.**_

_**"You **__**fainted, **__**Potter? Is Longbottom telling the truth? You actually **__**fainted?"**_

_**Malfoy elbowed past Hermione to block Harry's way up the stone steps to the castle, his face gleeful and his pale eyes glinting maliciously.**_

"I will not let you make this out of my baby." Narcissa snapped again at Abraxas.

"I really like your daughter." Daria whispered to Druella smiling who sighed.

_**"Shove off, Malfoy," said Ron, whose jaw was clenched.**_

_**"Did you faint as well, Weasley?" said Malfoy loudly. "Did the scary old Dementor frighten you too, Weasley?"**_

_**"Is there a problem?" said a mild voice. Professor Lupin had just gotten out of the next carriage.**_

_**Malfoy gave Professor Lupin an insolent stare, which took in the patches on his robes and the dilapidated suitcase. With a tiny hint of sarcasm in his voice, he said, "Oh, no - er - **__**Professor**__**," then he smirked at Crabbe and Goyle, and led them up the steps into the castle. **_

_**Hermione prodded Ron in the back to make him hurry, and the three of them joined the crowd swarming up the steps, through the giant oak front doors, and into the cavernous Entrance Hall, which was lit with flaming torches and housed a magnificent marble staircase which led to the upper floors. **_

_**The door into the Great Hall stood open at the right; Harry followed the crowd towards it, but had barely glimpsed the enchanted ceiling, which was clack and cloudy tonight, when a voice called, "Potter! Granger! I want to see you both!" **_

"Minerva." The adults said in union.

_**Harry and Hermione turned around, surprised. Professor McGonagall, Transfiguration teacher and Head of Gryffindor house, was calling over the heads of the crowd. She was a stern-looking witch who wore her hair in a tight bun; her sharp eyes were framed with square spectacles. **_

_**Harry fought his way over to her with a feeling of foreboding; Professor McGonagall had a way of making him feel as though he must have done something wrong. **_

"She was always good at that." Abraxas muttered.

"This was one of the grounds why the Slytherin respected her." Daria said.

_**"There's no need to look so worried - I just want a word in my office," she told them. "Move along there, Weasley." **_

_**Ron stared as Professor McGonagall ushered Harry and Hermione away from the chattering crowd; they accompanied her across the Entrance Hall, up the marble staircase and along a corridor. **_

_**Once they were in her office, a small room with a large, welcoming fire, Professor McGonagall motioned Harry and Hermione to sit down. **_

_**The boys looked mortified that they were already in McGonagall's office, knowing they hadn't done anything wrong. **_

_**She settled herself behind her desk and said abruptly, "Professor Lupin sent an owl ahead to say that you were taken ill on the train, Potter." **_

"Oh, yeah, the dementors," said James. "So Harry isn't in trouble."

_**Before Harry could reply, Madam Pomfrey, the matron, came bustling in. Harry felt himself going red in the face. It was bad enough that he'd passed out, or whatever he had done, without everyone making all this fuss. **_

_**"I'm fine," he said. "I don't need anything -" **_

_**"Oh, it's you, is it?" said Madam Pomfrey, ignoring this and bending down to stare closely at him. "I suppose you've been doing something dangerous again?" **_

"Typical Potter." Abraxas mutered while both Alphonse and James recieved a glare from Allana.

_**"It was a Dementor, Poppy," said Professor McGonagall. **_

_**They exchanged a dark look and Madam Pomfrey clucked disapprovingly. **_

_**"Setting Dementors around a school," she muttered, pushing Harry's hair back and feeling his forehead. "He won't be the first one who collapses. Yes, he's all clammy. Terrible things, they are, and the effect they have on people who are already delicate-" **_

"My son/grandson is not delicate!" snapped James and Alphonse.

_**"I'm not delicate!" said Harry crossly. **_

_**"Of course you're not," said Madam Pomfrey absent-mindedly, now taking his pulse. **_

_**"What does he need?" said Professor McGonagall crisply. "Bed rest? Should he perhaps spend tonight in the hospital wing?" **_

_**"I'm fine!" said Harry, jumping up. The idea of what Draco Malfoy would say if he had to go to the hospital wing was torture. **_

_**"Well, he should have some chocolate, at the very least," said Madam Pomfrey, who was now trying to peer into Harry's eyes. **_

_**"I've already had some," said Harry. "Professor Lupin gave me some. He gave it to all of us." **_

_**"Did he, now?" said Madam Pomfrey approvingly. "So we've finally got a Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher who knows his remedies?" **_

Remus blushed at the comment.

_**"Are you sure you feel all right, Potter?" said Professor McGonagall sharply. **_

_**"**__**Yes**__**," said Harry. **_

_**"Very well. Kindly wait outside while I have a quick word with Miss Granger about her timetable, then we can go down to the feast together." **_

_**Harry went back into the corridor with Madam Pomfrey, who left for the hospital wing, muttering to herself. **_

_**He only had to wait a few minutes; then Hermione emerged, looking very happy about something, followed by Professor McGonagall, and the three of them made their way back down the marble staircase to the Great Hall. **_

_**It was a sea of pointed black hats; each of the long house tables was lined with students, their faces glimmering by the light of thousands of candles, which were floating over the tables in mid-air. Professor Flitwick, who was a tiny little wizard with a shock of white hair, was carrying an ancient hat and a three-legged stool out of the Hall. **_

_**"Oh," said Hermione softly, "we've missed the Sorting." **_

_**New students were sorted into houses by trying on the Sorting Hat, which shouted out the house they were best suited to (Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff or Slytherin). **_

_**Professor McGonagall strode over towards her empty seat at the staff table, and Harry and Hermione set off in the other direction, as quietly as possible, towards the Gryffindor table. People looked around at them as they passed along the back of the Hall, and a few of them pointed at Harry. **_

_**Had the story of him collapsing in front of the Dementor travelled that fast? **_

"In Hogwarts travel news fast." Commented all witches and wizards.

_**He and Hermione sat down on either side of Ron, who had saved them seats. **_

_**"What was all that about?" he muttered to Harry. **_

_**Harry started to explain in a whisper, but at that moment the Headmaster stood up to speak, and he broke off. **_

_**Professor Dumbledore, though very old, always gave an impression of great energy. He had several feet of long silver hair and beard, half-moon spectacles and an extremely crooked nose. He was often described as the greatest wizard of the age, but that wasn't why Harry respected him. You couldn't help trusting Albus Dumbledore, and as Harry watched him beaming around at the students, he felt really calm for the first time since the Dementor had entered the train compartment. **_

They all smiled.

_**"Welcome!" said Dumbledore, the candlelight shimmering on his beard. "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have a few things to say to you all, and as one of them is very serious, I think it best to get it out of the way before you become befuddled by our excellent feast..." **_

_**Dumbledore cleared his throat and continued. "As you will all be aware after their search of the Hogwarts Express, our school is presently playing host to some of the Dementors of Azkaban, who are here on Ministry of Magic business."**_

_**He paused, and Harry remembered what Mr Weasley had said about Dumbledore not being happy with the Dementors guarding the school. **_

"Who would I try since years to get the Ministry to replace those creatures by giants, or dragons." Alphonse said.

"Even trolls would be better." Abraxas commented nodding.

_**"They are stationed at every entrance to the grounds," Dumbledore continued, **_

"Not at the secret passages, I bet," said Sirius, grinning.

_**and while they are with us, I must make it plain that nobody is to leave school without permission. Dementors are not to be fooled by tricks or disguises - or even Invisibility Cloaks," he added blandly, and Harry and Ron glanced at each other. **_

_**"It is not in the nature of a Dementor to understand pleading or excuses. I therefore warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you. I look to the Prefects, and our new Head Boy and Girl, to make sure that no student runs foul of the Dementors." **_

_**Percy, who was sitting a few seats along from Harry, puffed out his chest again and stared round impressively. **_

_**Dumbledore paused again; he looked very seriously around the Hall, and nobody moved or made a sound. **_

_**"On a happier note," he continued, "I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year. **_

_**"Firstly, Professor Lupin, **_

They all cheered.

_**who had kindly consented to fill the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher." **_

_**There was some scattered, rather unenthusiastic, applause. **_

_**Only those who had been in the compartment on the train with Professor Lupin clapped hard, Harry among them. **_

_**Professor Lupin looked particularly shabby next to all the other teachers in their best robes. **_

_**"Look at Snape!" Ron hissed in Harry's ear. **_

_**Professor Snape, the Potions master, was staring along the staff table at Professor Lupin. It was common knowledge that Snape wanted the Defence Against the Dark Arts job, but even Harry, who hated Snape, was startled by the expression twisting his thin, sallow face. It was beyond anger: it was loathing. **_

"Erm…considering how we acted with you in school I think Remus can be happy if he survives that night…" James said.

"So you will be also a teacher Severus?" Daria asked smiling.

"Yep and also Slytherins Head of House." Lucius told his mother smiling as he wrapped an arm around his friend's shoulder.

"How wounderful." she answered smiling as she clapped her pale hands together.

_**Harry knew that expression only too well; it was the look Snape wore every time he set eyes on Harry. **_

James groaned at this.

_**"As to our second new appointment," Dumbledore continued, as the lukewarm applause for Professor Lupin died away, "well, I am sorry to tell you that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs. However, I am delighted to say that his place will be filled by none other than Rubeus Hagrid, who has agreed to take on this teaching job in addition to his gamekeeping duties." **_

There was a loud cheer from the kids while the adults exchanged a few nervous glances.

_**Harry, Ron and Hermione stared at each other, stunned. Then they joined in with the applause, which was tumultuous at the Gryffindor table in particular. Harry leaned forward to see Hagrid who was ruby red in the face and staring down at his enormous hands, his wide grin hidden in the tangle of his black beard. **_

_**"We should've known!" Ron roared, pounding the table. "Who else would have sent us a biting book?" **_

_**Harry, Ron, and Hermione were the last to stop clapping, and as Professor Dumbledore started speaking again, they saw that Hagrid was wiping his eyes on the tablecloth. **_

"Aww…" most members of the female part cooed.

_**"Well, I think that's everything of importance," said Dumbledore. "Let the feast begin!" **_

_**The golden plates and goblets before them filled suddenly with food and drink. Harry, suddenly ravenous, helped himself to everything he could reach and began to eat. **_

_**It was a delicious feast; the Hall echoed with talk, laughter, and the clatter of knives and forks. Harry, Ron, and Hermione, however, were eager for it to finish so that they could talk to Hagrid. **_

_**They knew how much being made a teacher would mean to him. Hagrid wasn't a fully qualified wizard; he had been expelled from Hogwarts in his third year, for a crime he had not committed. It had been Harry, Ron and Hermione who had cleared Hagrid's name last year. **_

"…"

"Would take long to explain." James said.

"But still I want to settle one thing." Lucius said with a determinded expression on his face as he looked at his father. "Dad, when grandfather is back home will Severus not hide from him and he will threat him with respect and you will also fully accept him becouse he is by best friend and if he makes me choose between my family and him I would imediately choose my best friend and grandfather can say that what he wants about him being a Half-Blood, but we found out a month ago and heard if from the portraits of the Founders themeselves that Severus is a descendant from both Salazar Slytherin and Rowena Ravenclaw." Lucius finished as the magical parents started gapping and his father fainted Bella, Andromeda, Reg and Rudolphus were also gapping shocked.

"Well then we will tell him late that I'm a direct descendant from Gryffindor Godric and Helga Hufflepuff…" James said as suddenly his father also fainted.

"Dromeda please continue." Narcissa told her sister who snapped out of her shock.

_**At long last, when the last morsels of pumpkin tart had melted from the golden platters, Dumbledore gave the word that it was time for them all to go to bed, and they got their chance. **_

_**"Congratulations, Hagrid!" Hermione squealed, as they reached the teachers' table. **_

_**"All down ter you three," said Hagrid, wiping his shining face on his napkin as he looked up at them. "Can' believe it... **_

_**great man, Dumbledore... came straight down to me hut after Professor Kettleburn said he'd had enough... it's what I always wanted..." **_

_**Overcome with emotion, he buried his face in his napkin, and Professor McGonagall shooed them away. **_

_**Harry, Ron and Hermione joined the Gryffindors streaming up the marble staircase and, very tired now, along more corridors, up more and more stairs, to the hidden entrance to Gryffindor Tower. A large portrait of a fat lady in a pink dress asked them, "Password?" **_

_**"Coming through, coming through!" Percy called from behind the crowd. "The new password's Fortuna Major!" **_

_**"Oh no," said Neville Longbottom sadly. He always had trouble remembering the passwords. **_

_**Through the portrait hole and across the common room, the girls and boys divided towards their separate staircases. Harry climbed the spiral stairs with no thought in his head except how glad he was to be back. **_

_**They reached the familiar, circular dormitory with its five four-poster beds and Harry, looking around, felt he was home at last. **_

"So now we all are going to bed." Allana said as she used _Wingardium Leviosa _to float her housband up in the air making both Evas look at her in awe.

"We will continue tomorrow."

"Ok, come Sev we are sharing a room, James is bunking with Sirius, Remus and Peter, Arthur with Frank, Rosier and Aractus also share a room…" Aractus groaned at this while Rosier cheered "Rudolphus you get a room with Regulus, Andromeda and Bellatrix are also in one room, Lily with Alice and Petunia, Molly with Narcissa, those two also share a room "Lucius pointed at the Dursley siblings "and our parents can figure out with who they want to share a room." Lucius ordered as he grabbed Severus's hand and dragged him away the cat following them.

"Sometimes I ugh…think that our son has some sort o fan unhealthy obsession with that boy…" Abraxas said to his wife, he returned woke up shortly after Lucius started speaking.

"There is nothing wrong with being close to his best friend." Daria said smiling.

"That reminds me more o fan obsession even the Potter boy isn't so clingy to Sirius." Abraxas commented back, but was ignored. "I still think that this is an unhealthy obsession…"

_To be continued…_


	7. Back reading

A/N: only a little notice guys this is not one of my slash fics even if there are scenes with a doubble meaning to them…

VII. Back to reading, _Talons and tea leaves _

* * *

Next morning after everyone woke up and the Evans family had the chance to see how wizards cook was everyone settled agai nin the living room with the coffee table packed with snacks and drinks. Aractus looked a bit tired with Rosier taliking in his sleep and becouse how nice most rooms had only one king sized bed the blunet keept snuggling up to him, the Dursleys couldn't sleep normally becouse of all the wizards in the house they were terrified to say something.

"I'm reading next." Lucius said smiling, not noticing that his father was looking at him and Severus.

Since the day his son has written them by his third year that he had befriend a first year Half-Blood had Abraxas a strange feeling then since that day was the boy always the longest mentioned topic in his son's letters. Oh Merlin he nearly had a heart attack when Lucius had the boy for the first time over for summer yes Abraxas imediately recogrinaised his features as that of Eileen a Slytherin girl two years under him who had married a Muggle, but that what nearly fave him that bloody heart attack was that after Lucius dragged the boy up to his room his wife commented that they son HIS son was experiencing his first "puppy-love". Now that was only ridiciolus, but then after fisth yea come Lucius back and told them that they boy will live with them the strange feelings Abraxas ignored got stronger. Lucius was to clingly ont he boy, always protective and got worried if not knowing where he is or missing him if he was away. In his option developed Lucius an unhealthy obsession for the younger boy and even if he now knew that his son would choose the youngest Black girl, he knew that it was Severus who brought them together, his son was already so deep in his obsession that he would never let the boy go.

_**When Harry, Ron and Hermione entered the Great Hall for breakfast the next day, the first thing they saw was Draco Malfoy, who seemed to be entertaining a large group of Slytherins with a very funny story.**_

Lucius groaned while both Narcissa and Daria glared at a confused looking Abraxas who noticed that e had missed Lucius starting reading.

_**As they passed, Malfoy did a ridiculous impression of a swooning fit and there was a roar of laughter. **_

_**"Ignore him," said Hermione, who was right behind Harry. "Just ignore him, it's not worth it..." **_

_**"Hey, Potter!" shrieked Pansy Parkinson, a Slytherin girl with a face like a pug. **_

"Comes after her father then." Lucius said.

_**"Potter! The Dementors are coming, Potter! **__**Woooooooo!**__**" **_

_**Harry dropped into a seat at the Gryffindor table, next to George Weasley. **_

_**"New third-year timetables," said George, passing them over. "What's up with you, Harry?" **_

_**"Malfoy," said Ron, sitting down on George's other side and glaring over at the Slytherin table. **_

_**George looked up in time to see Malfoy pretending to faint with terror again. **_

_**"That little git," he said calmly. "He wasn't so co cocky last night when the Dementors were down our end of the train. Came running into our compartment, didn't he, Fred?" **_

_**"Nearly wet himself," said Fred, with a contemptuous glance at Malfoy. **_

"Malfoys…" Abraxas started.

"We have already settled that dad Malfoy man are whimps till they get off age…" Lucius said before continuing.

_**"I wasn't too happy myself," said George. "They're horrible things, those Dementors..." **_

_**"Sort of freeze your insides, don't they?" said Fred. **_

They all shuddered.

_**"You didn't pass out, though, did you?" said Harry in a low voice. **_

_**"Forget it, Harry," said George bracingly. "Dad had to go to Azkaban one time, remember, Fred?**_

"WHAT!"

"Don't worry it was probably job bound." Lucius commented.

_**And he said it was the worst place he'd ever been. He came back all weak and shaking... They suck the happiness out of a place, Dementors. Most of the prisoners go mad in there." **_

"Who wouldn't, lucky that Sirius is already a bit mad."

"PRONGS!" Sirius whined while the others snickered.

_**"Anyway, we'll see how happy Malfoy looks after our first Quidditch match," said Fred. "Gryffindor versus Slytherin, first game of the season, remember?" **_

"Yes." Cheered the male part of the group.

"Boys and they sport." Allana said while shaking her head.

_**The only time Harry and Malfoy had faced each other in a Quidditch match, Malfoy had definitely come off worse. **_

"What happened?" Cygnus asked, but most boys were only sniggering while both Lucius and Severus looked gloomy. "Did I say something wrong?" he asked confused, but the others only shrugged.

_**Feeling slightly more cheerful, Harry helped himself to sausages and fried tomatoes. **_

_**Hermione was examining her new timetable. **_

_**"Ooh, good, we're starting some new subjects today," she said happily. **_

_**"Hermione," said Ron, frowning as he looked over her shoulder, "they've messed up your timetable. Look - they've got you down for about ten subjects a day. There isn't enough **__**time**__**." **_

"That girl is not normal…" Alphonse commented in shock.

_**"I'll manage. I've fixed it all with Professor McGonagall." **_

_**"But look," said Ron, laughing, "see this morning? Nine o'clock, Divination. And underneath, nine o'clock, Muggle Studies. And-" Ron leaned closer to the timetable, disbelieving, "**__**look**__** - underneath that, Aritmancy, **__**nine o'clock**__**. I mean, I know you're good, Hermione, but no one's **__**that**__** good. How're you supposed to be in three classes at once?" **_

_**"Don't be silly," said Hermione shortly. "Of course I won't be in three classes at once." **_

_**"Well, then -" **_

_**"Pass the marmalade," said Hermione. **_

_**"But -" **_

_**"Oh, Ron, what's it to you if my timetable's a bit full?" Hermione snapped. "I've told you, I've fixed it all with Professor McGonagall." **_

_**Just then, Hagrid entered the Great Hall. He was wearing his long moleskin overcoat and was absent-mindedly swinging a dead polecat from one enormous hand. **_

_**"All righ'?" he said eagerly, pausing on the way to the staff table. "Yer in my firs' ever lesson! **_

"Wonderful!" exclaimed Lily. "I just hope Hagrid doesn't show dangerous creatures, that's all."

_**Right after lunch! Bin up since five gettin' everythin' ready... hope it's OK... me, a teacher ... hones'ly ..." **_

_**He grinned broadly at them and headed off to the staff table, still swinging the polecat. **_

_**"Wonder what he's been getting ready?" said Ron, a note of anxiety in his voice. **_

_**The Hall was starting to empty as people headed off towards their first lesson. Ron checked his timetable. **_

_**"We'd better go, look, Divination's at the top of North Tower. It'll take us ten minutes to get there..." **_

_**They finished their breakfast hastily, said goodbye to Fred and George and walked back through the Hall. As they passed the Slytherin table, Malfoy did yet another impression of a fainting fit. **_

"Sev could you please speak with him that it is starting to get enough?" Lucius asked his friend pleadingly.

"Yes, I will talk with him."

"Thanks."

_**The shouts of laughter followed Harry into the Entrance Hall. **_

_**The journey through the castle to North Tower was a long one. Two years at Hogwarts hadn't taught them everything about the castle, and they had never been inside the North Tower before. **_

"Nothing to impressive."

_**"There's - got - to - be - a - short - cut," Ron panted, as they climbed their seventh long staircase and emerged on an unfamiliar landing, where there was nothing but a large painting of a bare stretch of grass hanging on the stone wall. **_

Cadogan."

_**"I think it's this way," said Hermione, peering down the empty passage to the right. **_

_**"Can't be," said Ron. "That's south. Look, you can see a bit of the lake out of the window..." **_

_**Harry was watching the painting. A fat, dapple-grey pony had just ambled out of the grass and was grazing nonchalantly. Harry was used to the subjects of Hogwarts paintings moving around and leaving their frames to visit each other, but he always enjoyed watching them. **_

"That opinion will change once you meet Sir Cadogan," said Remus grimly.

"The perfect portrait for a place teaching an useless class." Druella said.

_**A moment later, a short, squat knight in a suit of armour had clanked into the picture after his pony. By the look of the grass stains on his metal knees, he had just fallen off. **_

"I wonder if he's ever managed to stay on his horse for more than five minutes," laughed Sirius.

_**"Aha!" he yelled, seeing Harry, Ron and Hermione. "What villains are these that trespass upon my private lands? Come to scorn at my fall, perchance? Draw your knaves, you dogs!" **_

Everyone shoo they heads.

_**They watched in astonishment as the little knight tugged his sword out of its scabbard and began brandishing it violently, hopping up and down in rage. **_

They all laughed at this.

_**But the sword was too long for him; a particularly wild swing made him overbalance; and he landed face down in the grass. **_

They laughed harder and even Abraxas Malfoy was laughing.

_**"Are you all right?" said Harry, moving closer to the picture. **_

_**"Get back, you scurvy braggart! Back, you rogue!" **_

_**The knight seized his sword again and used it to push himself back up, but the blade sank deeply into the grass and, though he pulled it with all his might, he couldn't get it out again. **_

This was to much and everyone was already rolling ont he floor from laughing and Lucius needed a few minutes to catch his breath so that he could continue.

_**Finally he had to flop down into the grass and push up his visor to mop his sweating face. **_

_**"Listen," said Harry, taking advantage of the knight's exhaustion, "we're looking for the North Tower. You don't know the way, do you?" **_

_**"A quest!" The knight's rage seemed to vanish instantly. **_

_**He clanked to his feet and shouted, "Come follow me, dear friends, and we shall find our goal, or else shall perish bravely in the charge!" **_

"Wow…Harry actually managed to shut him up and help them…" James said impressed.

_**He gave the sword another fruitless tug, tried and failed to mount the fat pony, and cried, "On foot then, good sirs and gentle lady! On! On!" **_

They all laughed loudly.

_**And he ran, clanking loudly, into the left-hand side of the frame and out of sight. **_

_**They hurried after him along the corridor, following the sound of his armour. Every now and then they spotted him running through a picture ahead. **_

_**"Be of stout heart, the worst is yet to come!" yelled the knight, and they saw him reappear in front of an alarmed group of women in crinolines, whose picture hung on the wall of a narrow spiral staircase. **_

_**Puffing loudly, Harry, Ron and Hermione climbed the tightly spiralling steps, getting dizzier and dizzier, until at last they heard the murmur of voices above them, and knew they had reached the classroom. **_

_**"Farewell!" cried the knight, popping his head into a painting of some sinister-looking monks. "Farewell, my comrades-in-arms! If you ever you have need of noble heart and steely sinew, call upon Sir Cadogan!" **_

_**"Yeah, we'll call you," muttered Ron, as the knight disappeared, "if we ever need someone mental." **_

"Urgh…then wait till you met your teacher…" Lucius said palling.

"Is it someone whe know?" Frank asked.

"Take a lucky guess she is best friends with Xeno Lovegood…" he answered and everyone paled.

"NOT SYBILL TRALAWNEY!" they all screamed.

"And I'm still willing to teach there?" Severus asked in horror that girl was annoying.

_**They climbed the last few steps and emerged onto a tiny landing, where most of the class were already assembled. There were no doors off this landing; Ron nudged Harry and pointed at the ceiling, where there was a circular trap door with a brass plaque on it. **_

_**"Sybill Trelawney, Divination teacher," Harry read. "How're we supposed to get up there?" **_

_**As though in answer to his question, the trap door suddenly opened, and a silvery ladder descended right at Harry's feet. Everyone went quiet. **_

_**"After you," said Ron, grinning, so Harry climbed the ladder first. **_

_**He emerged into the strangest-looking classroom he had ever seem. In fact, it didn't look like a classroom at all; more like a cross between someone's attic and an old fashioned teashop. **_

_**At least twenty small, circular tables were crammed inside it, all surrounded by chintz armchairs and fat little poufs. Everything was lit with a dim, crimson light; the curtains at the windows were all closed, and the many lamps were draped with dark red scarves. It was stiflingly warm, and the fire which was burning under the crowded mantelpiece was giving off a heavy, sickly sort of perfume as it heated a large copper kettle. The shelves running around the circular walls were crammed with dusty-looking feathers, stubs of candles, many packs of tattered playing cards, countless crystal balls and a huge array of teacups. **_

_**Ron appeared at Harry's shoulder, as the class assembled around them, all talking in whispers. **_

_**"Where is she?" Ron said. **_

_**A voice came suddenly out of the shadows, a soft, misty sort of voice. **_

"Ugh…"

_**"Welcome," it said. "How nice to see you in the physical world at last."**_

_**Harry's immediate impression was of a large, glittering insect. Professor Trelawney moved into the firelight, and they saw that she was very thin; her large glasses magnified her eyes to several times their natural size, and she was draped in a gauzy spangled shawl. **_

_**Innumerable chains and beads hung around her spindly neck, and her arms and hands were encrusted with bangles and rings. **_

"Definiately her." Said the kids together.

_**"Sit, my children, sit," she said, and they all climbed awkwardly into armchairs or sank into poufs Harry, Ron and Hermione sat themselves around the same round table. **_

_**"Welcome to Divination," said Professor Trelawney, who had seated herself in a winged armchair in front of the fire. "My name is Professor Trelawney. You may not have seen me before. I find that descending too often into the hustle and bustle of the main school clouds my Inner Eye." **_

"Thank Merlin." Severus said.

_**Nobody said anything in answer to this extraordinary pronouncement. Professor Trelawney delicately rearranged her shawl and continued, "So you have chosen to study Divination, the most difficult of all magical arts.**_

Everyone rolled they eyes at this.

_**I must warn you at the outset that if you do not have the Sight, there is very little I will be able to teach you. Books can take you only so far in this field..." **_

_**At these words, both Harry and Ron glanced, grinning, at Hermione, who looked startled at the news that books wouldn't be much help in this subject. **_

They all chuckled.

_**"Many witches and wizards, talented though they are in the area of loud bangs and smells and sudden disappearings, are yet unable to penetrate the veiled mysteries of the future," Professor Trelawney went on, her enormous, gleaming eyes moving from face to nervous face. "It is a Gift granted to few. You, boy," she said suddenly to Neville, who almost toppled off his pouf, "is your grandmother well?" **_

_**"I think so," said Neville tremulously. **_

_**"I wouldn't be so sure if I were you, dear," said Professor Trelawney, the firelight glinting on her long emerald earrings. Neville gulped**_**. **

"Leave my son and my mother alone Sybill." Frank snapped.

_**Professor Trelawney continued placidly, "We will be covering the basic methods of Divination this year. The first term will be devoted to reading tea leaves. Next term we shall progress to palmistry. By the way, my dear," she shot suddenly at Parvati Patil, "beware a red-haired man." **_

_**Parvati gave a startled look at Ron, who was right behind her, and edged her chair away from him. **_

_**"In the summer term," Professor Trelawney went on, "we shall progress to the crystal ball- if we have finished with fire-omens, that is. Unfortunately, classes will be disrupted in February by a nasty bout of flu. **_

"But flu's is always around at that time," said James.

_**I myself will lose my voice. **_

"Thank Merlin," muttered everyone.

_**And around Easter, one of our number will leave us forever." **_

_**A very tense silence followed this pronouncement, but Professor Trelawney seemed unaware of it. **_

_**"I wonder, dear," she said to Lavender Brown, who was nearest and shrank back in her chair, "if you could pass me the largest silver teapot?" **_

_**Lavender, looking relieved, stood up, took an enormous teapot from the shelf and put it down on the table in front of Professor Trelawney. **_

_**"Thank you, my dear. Incidentally, that thing you are dreading- it will happen on Friday the sixteenth of October." **_

_**Lavender trembled. **_

_**"Now, I want you all to divide into pairs. Collect a teacup from the shelf, come to me and I will fill it. Then sit down and drink; drink until only the dregs remain. Swill these around the cup three times with the left hand, then turn the cup upside down on its saucer; wait for the last of the tea to drain away, then give your cup to your partner and read. You will interpret the patterns using pages five and six of **__**Unfogging the Future**__**. I shall move among you, helping and instructing. Oh, and dear-" she caught Neville by the arm as he made to stand up, "after you've broken your first cup, would you be so kind as to select one of the blue patterned ones? I'm rather attached to the pink." **_

_**Sure enough, Neville had no sooner reached the shelf of teacups than there was a tinkle of breaking china. Professor Trelawney swept over to him holding a dustpan and brush and said, "One of the blue ones, then, dear, if you wouldn't mind... thank you..." **_

_**When Harry and Ron had their teacups filled, they went back to their table and tried to drink the scalding tea quickly. They swilled the dregs around as Professor Trelawney had instructed, then drained the cups and swapped them. **_

_**"Right," said Ron, as they both opened their books at page five and six. "What can you see in mine?" **_

_**"A load of soggy brown stuff," said Harry. The heavily perfumed smoke in the room was making him feel sleepy and stupid. **_

_**"Broaden your minds, my dears, and allow your eyes to see past the mundane!" Professor Trelawney cried through the gloom. **_

They all laughed.

_**Harry tried to pull himself together. **_

_**"Right, you've got a wonky sort of cross..." he said, consulting **__**Unfogging the Future**__**. "That means you're going to have 'trials and suffering' - sorry about that - but there's a thing here that could be the sun. Hang on... that means 'great happiness'... so you're going to suffer but be very happy..." **_

_**"You need your Inner Eye tested, if you ask me," said Ron, **_

They all burst out laughing again.

_**and they both had to stifle their laughs as Professor Trelawney gazed in their direction. **_

_**"My turn..." Ron peered into Harry's teacup, his forehead wrinkled with effort. "There's a blob a bit like a bowler hat," he said. "Maybe you're going to work for the Ministry of Magic..." **_

_**He turned the teacup the other way up. **_

_**"But this way it looks more like an acorn... what's that?" He scanned his copy of **__**Unfogging the Future.**__** "'A windfall, unexpected gold.' Excellent, you can lend me some. Aad there's a thing here," he turned the cup again, "that looks an animal. Yeah, if that was its head... it looks like a hippo... no, a sheep..." **_

There was some more laughter.

"This class was always rubbis." Abraxas commented.

_**Professor Trelawney whirled around as Harry let out a snort of laughter. **_

_**"Let me see that, my dear," she said reprovingly to Ron, sweeping over and snatching Harry's cup from him. Everyone went quiet to watch. **_

_**Professor Trelawney was staring into the teacup, rotating it anti-clockwise. **_

_**"The falcon... my dear, you have a deadly enemy." **_

"I think he already knows that." Remus said.

_**"But everyone knows that," said Hermione in a loud whisper. **_

_**Professor Trelawney stared at her. **_

_**"Well, they do," said Hermione. "Everybody knows about Harry and You-Know-Who." **_

"What is with my grandson and You-Know-Who?" Alphonse asked.

"Long story."

"Uhm…who is this person?" Mr. Evans asked.

"A really dark and dangerous wizard whose name is even feared to be spoken out loud." Alphonse explained.

_**Harry and Ron stared at her with a mixture of amazement and admiration. They had never heard Hermione speak to a teacher like that before. Professor Trelawney chose not to reply. She lowered her huge eyes to Harry's cup again and continued to turn it. **_

_**"The club... an attack. Dear, dear, this is not a happy cup..." **_

_**"I thought that was a bowler hat," said Ron sheepishly. **_

_**"The skull... danger in your path, my dear..." **_

_**Everyone was staring, transfixed, at Professor Trelawney, who gave the cup a final turn, gasped, then screamed. **_

_**There was another tinkle of breaking china; Neville had smashed his second cup. Professor Trelawney sank into a vacant armchair, her glittering hand at her heart and her eyes closed. **_

_**"My dear boy- my poor dear boy- no- it is kinder not to say- no- don't ask me..." **_

_**"What is it, Professor?" said Dean Thomas at once. Everyone had got to their feet, and slowly, they crowded around Harry and Ron's table, pressing close to Professor Trelawney's chair to get a good look at Harry's cup. **_

_**"My dear," Professor Trelawney's huge eyes opened dramatically, "you have the Grim." **_

"What rubbish!" exclaimed Lily.

_**"That what?" said Harry. **_

_**He could tell he wasn't the only one who didn't understand; Dean Thomas shrugged at him and Lavender Brown looked puzzled, but nearly everybody else clapped their hands to their mouths in horror. **_

Sirius started growling angrily.

_**"The Grim, my dear, the Grim!" cried Professor Trelawney, who looked shocked that Harry hadn't understood. "The giant spectral dog that haunts churchyards! My dear boy, it is an omen- the worst omen- of **__**death**__**!" **_

"What nonsense," Sirius snapped and turned int o his Animagus from to growl at the book.

"Erm…" started Alphonse.

"Long story." The kids said in union.

_**Harry's stomach lurched. That dog on the cover of **__**Death Omens**__** in Flourish and Blotts- the dog in the shadows of Magnolia Crescent... Lavender Brown clapped her hands to her mouth, too. **_

_**Everyone was looking at Harry; everyone except Hermione, who had got up and moved around to the back of Professor Trelawney's chair. **_

_**"I**__** don't think it looks like a Grim," she said flatly. **_

They all laughed. "Go Hermione!" yelled Sirius.

_**Professor Trelawney surveyed Hermione with mounting dislike. **_

_**"You'll forgive me for saying so, my dear, but I perceive little aura around you. Very little receptivity to the resonances of the future." **_

_**Seamus Finnigan was tilting his head from side to side. **_

_**"It looks like a Grim if you do this," he said, with his eyes almost shut, "but it looks more like a donkey from here," he said, leaning to the left. **_

_**"When you've all finished deciding whether I'm going to die or not!" said Harry, taking even himself by surprise. **_

_**Now nobody seemed to want to look at him. **_

_**"I think we will leave the lesson here for today," said Professor Trelawney, in her mistiest voice. "Yes ... please pack away your things ..." **_

_**Silently, the class took their teacups back to Professor Trelawney, packed away their books and closed their bags. Even Ron was avoiding Harry's eyes. **_

_**"Until we meet again," said Professor Trelawney faintly, "fair fortune will be yours. Oh, and dear-" she pointed at Neville, "you'll be late next time, so mind you work extra hard to catch up." **_

_**Harry, Ron and Hermione descended Professor Trelawney's ladder and the winding staircase in silence, then set off for Professor McGonagall's Transfiguration lesson. **_

_**It took them so long to find her classroom that, early as they had left Divination, they were only just in time. **_

_**Harry chose a seat right at the back of the room, feeling as though he was sitting in a very bright spotlight; the rest of the class kept shooting furtive glances at him, as though he was about to drop dead at any moment. **_

_**He hardly heard what Professor McGonagall was telling them about Animagi (wizards who could transform at will into animals), **_

"Harry! Pay attention!" yelled James and Sirius in union.

_**and wasn't even watching when she transformed herself in front of their eyes into a tabby cat with spectacle markings around her eyes. **_

_**"Really, what has got into you all today?" said Professor McGonagall, turning back into herself with a faint pop, and staring around them all. "Not that it matters, but that's the first time my transformation's not got applause from a class." **_

_**Everybody's heads turned towards Harry again, but nobody spoke. Then Hermione raised her hand. **_

_**"Please, Professor, we've just had our first Divination class, and we were reading tea leaves, and-" **_

_**"Ah, of course," said Professor McGonagall, suddenly frowning. "There is no need to say any more, Miss Granger. Tell me, which of you will be dying this year?" **_

Everyone bust out laughing at this.

_**Everyone stared at her. **_

_**"Me," said Harry, finally. **_

_**"I see," said Professor McGonagall, fixing Harry with her beady eyes. "Then you should know, Potter, that Sybill Trelawney has predicted the death of one student a year since she arrived at this school. None of them has died yet. Seeing death omens is her favourite was of greeting a new class. If it were not for the fact that I never speak ill of my colleagues -" Professor McGonagall broke off, and they saw that her nostrils had gone white. **_

_**She went on, more calmly, "Divination is one of the most imprecise branches of magic. I shall not conceal from you that I have very little patience with it. True Seers are very rare, and Professor Trelawney..." She stopped again, and then said, in a very matter-of-fact tone, "You look in excellent health to me, Potter, so you will excuse me if I don't let you off homework today. I assure you that if you die, you need not hand it in." **_

They all laughed.

_**Hermione laughed. Harry felt a bit better. It was harder to feel scared of a lump of tea leaves away from the dim red light and befuddling perfume of Professor Trelawney's classroom. **_

_**Not everyone was convinced, however. Ron still looked worried, and Lavender whispered, "But what about Neville's cup?" **_

"That doesn't count," said James. "Neville always breaks things, sorry Frank and Alice."

"No offense taken."

_**When the Transfiguration class had finished, they joined the crowd thundering towards the Great Hall for lunch. **_

_**"Ron, cheer up," said Hermione, pushing a dish of stew towards him. "You heard what Professor McGonagall said." **_

_**Ron spooned stew onto his plate and picked up his fork but didn't start. **_

_**"Harry," he said, in a low, serious voice, "you **__**haven**__**'**__**t**__** seen a great black dog anywhere, have you?" **_

_**"Yeah, I have," said Harry. "I saw one the night I left the Dursleys." **_

_**Ron let his fork fall with a clatter. **_

_**"Probably a stray," said Hermione calmly. **_

"Hermione's probably right," said Sirius.

_**Ron looked at Hermione as though she had gone mad. **_

_**"Hermione, if Harry's seen a Grim, that's- that's bad," he said. "My- my Uncle Bilius saw one and- and he died twenty-four hours later!" **_

"Since that was weeks ago, I'm sure Harry's out of danger," said Lily.

_**"Coincidence," said Hermione airily, pouring herself some pumpkin juice. **_

_**"You don't know what you're talking about!" said Ron, starting to get angry. "Grims scare the living daylights out of most wizards!" **_

_**"There you are, then," said Hermione in a superior tone. "They see the Grim and die of fright. The Grim's not an omen, it's the cause of death! And Harry's still with us because he's not stupid enough to see one and think, right, well, I'd better pop my clogs then!" **_

They all laughed again at this.

_**Ron mouthed wordlessly at Hermione, who opened her bag, took out her new Arithmancy book and propped it open against the juice jug. **_

_**"I think Divination seems very woolly," she said, searching for her page. "A lot of guesswork, if you ask me." **_

_**"There was nothing woolly about the Grim in that cup!" said Ron hotly. **_

_**"You didn't seem quite so confident when you were telling Harry it was a sheep," said Hermione coolly. **_

"Another argument," said Remus, shaking his head. "They sound like an old married couple."

_**"Professor Trelawney said you didn't have the right aura! You just don't like being rubbish at something for a change!" **_

_**He had touched a nerve. Hermione slammed her Arithmancy book down on the table so hard that bits of meat and carrot flew everywhere. **_

_**"If being good at Divination means I have to pretend to see death omens in a lump of tea leaves, I'm not sure I'll be studying it much longer! That lesson was absolute rubbish compared to my Arithmancy class!" **_

_**She snatched up her bag and stalked away. **_

_**Ron frowned after her. **_

_**"What's she talking about?" he said to Harry. "She hasn't been to an Arithmancy class yet." **_

"Oooh, a mystery," said Sirius.

_**Harry was pleased to get out of the castle after lunch. Yesterday's rain had cleared; the sky was a clear, pale grey and the grass was springy and damp underfoot as they set off for their first ever Care of Magical Creatures class. Ron and Hermione weren't speaking to each other. Harry walked beside them in silence as they went down the sloping lawns to Hagrid's hut on the edge of the Forbidden Forest. It was only when he spotted three only-too-familiar backs ahead of them that he realised they must be having these lessons with the Slytherins.**_

"That is a first we are usually with the Ravenclaws" Lucius said.

"This is bound to be a chatastrophe." Arthur commented.

_**Malfoy was talking animatedly to Crabbe and Goyle, who were chortling. Harry was quite sure he knew what they were talking about. **_

_**Hagrid was waiting for his class at the door of his hut. He stood in his moleskin overcoat, with Fang the boarhound at his heels, looking impatient to start. **_

_**"C'mon, now, get a move on!" he called as the class approached. "Got a real treat for yeh today! Great lesson comin' up! Everyone here? Right, follow me!" **_

_**For one nasty moment, Harry thought Hagrid was going to lead them into the Forest; Harry had had enough unpleasant experiences in there to last him a lifetime. **_

_**However, Hagrid strolled off around the edge of the trees, and five minutes later, they found themselves outside a kind of paddock. There was nothing in there. **_

_**"Everyone gather round the fence here!" he called. "That's it - make sure yeh can see. Now, firs' thing yeh'll want ter do is open yer books-" **_

_**"How?" said the cold, drawling voice of Draco Malfoy. **_

_**"Eh?" said Hagrid. **_

_**"How do we open our books?" Malfoy repeated. He took out his copy of **__**The Monster Book of Monsters**__**,**_

"Ugh…" the parents shuddered.

_**which he had bound shut with a length of rope. Other people took theirs out, too; some, like Harry, had belted their books shut; others had crammed them inside tight bags or clamped them together with bullclips. **_

_**"Hasn'- hasn' anyone bin able ter open their books?" said Hagrid, looking crestfallen. **_

_**The class all shook their heads. **_

_**"Yeh've got ter**_

Lucius was staring at the book gapping.

"He can't be serious." He said.

_**stroke**__** 'em," said Hagrid as though this was the most obvious thing in the world. **_

"Oookkeyy…"

_**He took Hermione's copy and ripped off the Spellotape that bound it. The book tried to bite, but Hagrid ran a giant forefinger down its spine, and the book shivered, and then fell open and lay quiet in his hand. **_

"Cool," said James.

_**"Oh, how silly we've all been!" Malfoy sneered. "We should have **__**stroked**__** them! Why didn't we guess!" **_

_**"I... I thought they were funny," said Hagrid uncertainly to Hermione. **_

_**"Oh, tremendously funny!" said Malfoy. "Really witty, giving us a book that tries to rip our hands off!" **_

_**"Shut up, Malfoy," said Harry quietly. **_

"Good boy." Alphonse muttered.

_**Hagrid was looking downcast and Harry wanted Hagrid's first lesson to be a success. **_

_**"Righ' then," said Hagrid, who seemed to have lost his thread, "so... so yeh've got yer books an'... an'... now yeh need the Magical Creatures. Yeah. So I'll go an' get 'em. Hang on..." **_

_**He strode away from them into the Forest and out of sight. **_

_**"God, this place is going to the dogs," said Malfoy loudly. "That oaf teaching classes, my father'll have a fit when I tell him-" **_

"More likely I'm having a fit now about your behaviour young man." Lucius snapped.

"Really Abraxas that sounded so much like you and your father, leave my grandson." Dari said to her husband.

_**"Shut up, Malfoy," Harry repeated. **_

_**"Careful, Potter, there's a Dementor behind you-" **_

_**"Oooooooh!" squealed Lavender Brown, pointing towards the opposite side of the paddock. **_

_**Trotting towards them were a dozen of the most bizarre creatures Harry had ever seen. They had the bodies, hind legs and tails of horses, but the front legs, wings and heads of what seemed to be giant eagles, with cruel, steel-coloured beaks and large, brilliantly orange eyes. **_

"A Hippogriff? Isn't that a bit to advanced for a first class?" Cygnus asked confused.

_**The talons on their front legs were half a foot long and deadly-looking. Each of the had a thick leather collar around its neck, which was attached to a long chain, and the ends of all of these were held in the vast hands of Hagrid, who came jogging into the paddock behind the creatures. **_

_**"Gee up, there!" he roared, shaking the chains and urging the creatures towards the fence where the class stood. Everyone drew back slightly as Hagrid reached them and tethered the creatures to the fence. **_

_**"Hippogriffs!" Hagrid roared happily, waving a hand at them. "Beau'iful, aren' they?" **_

_**Harry could sort of see what Hagrid meant. Once you had got over the first shock of seeing something that was half-horse, half-bird, you started to appreciate the Hippogriffs' gleaming coats, changing smoothly from feather to hair, each of them a different colour; stormy grey, bronze, a pinking roan, gleaming chestnut and inky black. **_

_**"So," said Hagrid, rubbing his hands together and beaming around, "if yeh want to come a bit nearer..." **_

_**No one seemed to want to. Harry, Ron and Hermione, however approached the fence cautiously. **_

_**"Now, firs' thing yeh gotta know abou' Hippogriffs is they're proud," said Hagrid. "Easily offended, Hippogriffs are. Don't never insult one, 'cause it might be the last thing yeh do." **_

_**Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle weren't listening; they were talking in an undertone and Harry had a nasty feeling they were plotting how best to disrupt the lesson. **_

_**"Yeh always wait fer the Hippogriff ter make the firs' move," Hagrid continued. "It's polite, see? Yeh walk towards him, and yeh bow, an' yeh wait. If he bows back, yeh're allowed to touch him. If he doesn' bow, then get away from him sharpish, 'cause those talons hurt." **_

_**"Right- who wants ter go first?" **_

_**Most of the class backed further away in answer. Even Harry, Ron and Hermione has misgivings. The Hippogriffs were tossing their fierce heads and flexing their powerful wings; they didn't seem to like being tethered like this. **_

_**"No one?" said Hagrid, with a pleading look. **_

_**"I'll do it," said Harry. **_

_**There was an intake of breath from behind him and both Lavender and Parvati whispered, "Oooh, no, Harry, remember your tea leaves!" **_

"Oh please…"

_**Harry ignored them. He climbed over the paddock fence. **_

_**"Good man, Harry!" roared Hagrid. "Right then- let's see how you get on with Buckbeak." **_

_**He untied one of the chains, pulled the grey Hippogriff away from his fellows and slipped off his leather collar. The class on the other side of the paddock seemed to be holding its breath. Malfoy's eyes were narrowed maliciously. **_

_**"Easy, now, Harry," said Hagrid quietly. "Yeh've got eye contact, now try not ter blink- Hippogriffs don' trust yeh if yeh blink too much..." **_

_**Harry's eyes immediately began to water, but he didn't shut them. **_

"Good boy," muttered James.

_**Buckbeak had turned his great, sharp head, and was staring at Harry with one fierce orange eye. **_

_**"Tha's it," said Hagrid. "Tha's it, Harry... now, bow..." **_

_**Harry didn't feel much like exposing the back of his neck to Buckbeak, but he did as he was told. **_

_**He gave a short bow and then looked up. **_

_**The Hippogriff was still staring haughtily at him. It didn't move. **_

_**"Ah," said Hagrid, sounding worried. "Right - back away, now, Harry, easy does it-" **_

_**But then, to Harry's enormous surprise, the Hippogriff suddenly bent his scaly front knees, and sank into what was an unmistakable bow. **_

They all cheered.

_**"Well done, Harry!" said Hagrid, ecstatic. "Right - yeh can touch him! Pat his beak, go on!" **_

_**Feeling that a better reward would have been to back away, Harry moved slowly towards the Hippogriff and reached out towards him. He patted the beak several times and the Hippogriff closed his eyes lazily, as though enjoying it. **_

"Awww…" cooed the girls.

_**The class broke into applause, all except for Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle, who were looking deeply disappointed. **_

_**"Righ' then, Harry," said Hagrid, "I reckon he migh' let yeh ride him!" **_

_**This was more than Harry had bargained for. He was used to a broomstick; but he wasn't sure a Hippogriff would be quite the same. **_

_**"Yeh climb up there, jus' behind the wing joint," said Hagrid, "an' mind yeh don' pull any of his feathers out, he won' like that..." **_

_**Harry put his foot on the top of Buckbeak's wing and hoisted himself onto his back. Buckbeak stood up. Harry wasn't sure where to hold on; everything in front of him was covered in feathers. **_

_**"Go on, then!" roared Hagrid, slapping the Hippogriff's hindquarters. **_

_**Without warning, twelve-foot wings flapped open on either side of Harry; he just had time to seize the Hippogriff around the neck before he was soaring upwards. **_

_**It was nothing like a broomstick, and Harry knew which one he preferred; the Hippogriff's wings were beating uncomfortably on either side of him, catching him under his legs and making him feel he was about to be thrown off; the glossy feathers slipped under his fingers and he didn't dare get a stronger grip; instead of the smooth action of his Nimbus Two Thousand, he now felt himself rocking backwards and forwards as the hindquarters of the Hippogriff rose and fell with his wings. **_

"So basically, not a comfortable ride," said Peter.

_**Buckbeak flew him once around the paddock and then headed back to the ground; this was the bit Harry had been dreading; he leant back as the smooth neck lowered, feeling he was going to slip off over the beak; then he felt a heavy thud as the four ill-assorted feet hit the ground, and just managed to hold on and push himself straight again. **_

There were sighs of relief from everyone.

_**"Good work, Harry!" roared Hagrid, as everyone except Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle cheered. "OK, who else wants a go?" **_

_**Emboldened by Harry's success, the rest of the class climbed cautiously into the paddock. Hagrid untied the Hippogriffs one by one, and soon people were bowing nervously, all over the paddock. Neville ran repeatedly backwards from his, which didn't seem to want to bend its knees. **_

_**Ron and Hermione practiced on the chestnut, while Harry watched. **_

_**Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle had taken over Buckbeak. He had bowed to Malfoy, who was now patting his beak, looking disdainful. **_

Narcissa and Daria both sighed in relief, but then Lucius let out a strange tone before fainting making both woman stare pnicked at him.

"Ugh…as guessed…" Severus said who was fanning fres air to his friend with a fan while he picked up the book to read it.

_**"This is very easy," Malfoy drawled, loud enough for Harry to hear him. "I knew it must have been, if Potter could do it... I bet you're not dangerous at all, are you?" he said to the Hippogriff. "Are you, you ugly great brute?" **_

"Abraxas!" Daria snapped at her husbacd while Narcissa was clingin g to her sisters.

"My baby…"

"This will not end well." James said.

_**It happened in a flash of steely talons; Malfoy let out a high-pitched scream and next moment, Hagrid was wrestling Buckbeak back into his collar as he strained to get at Malfoy, who lay curled in the grass, blood blossoming all over his robes. **_

_**"I'm dying!" Malfoy yelled, as the class panicked. **_

"Daria please calm down, he is in a way fine erm he is at the moment overreacting." Abraxas tried to explain he didn't want to be banned out of the bedroom.

_**"I'm dying, look at me! It's killed me!" **_

_**"Yer not dyin'!" said Hagrid, who had gone very white. "Someone help me- gotta get him outta here-" **_

_**Hermione ran to open the gate while Hagrid lifted Malfoy easily. As they passed, Harry saw that there was a long, deep gash in Malfoy's arm; blood splattered the grass and Hagrid ran with him, up the slope towards the castle. **_

_**Very shaken, the Care of Magical Creatures class followed at a walk. The Slytherins were all shouting about Hagrid. **_

_**"They should sack him straight away!" said Pansy Parkinson, who was in tears. **_

_**"It was Malfoy's fault," snapped Dean Thomas. Crabbe and Goyle flexed their muscles threateningly. **_

_**They all climbed the stone steps into the deserted Entrance Hall. **_

_**"I'm going to see if he's OK!" said Pansy, and they all watched her run up the marble staircase. The Slytherins, still muttering about Hagrid, headed away in the direction of their dungeon common room; Harry, Ron and Hermione proceeded upstairs to Gryffindor Tower. **_

_**"Do you think he'll be all right?" said Hermione nervously. **_

_**The others nodded. **_

_**"'Course he will, Madam Pomfrey can mend cuts in about a second," said Harry, who had had far worse injuries mended magically by the matron. **_

_**"That was a really bad thing to happen in Hagrid's first class, though, wasn't it?" said Ron, looking worried. "Trust Malfoy to mess things up for him..." **_

"It is in our blood just like that Potters attrach dangerous situations." Abraxas said as Severus finally managed to get Lucius back and handed him the book.

_**They were among the first to reach the Great Hall at dinnertime, hoping to see Hagrid, but he wasn't there. **_

_**"They **__**wouldn't**__** sack him, would they?" said Hermione anxiously, not touching her steak-and-kidney pudding. **_

_**"They'd better not," said Ron, who wasn't eating either. **_

_**Harry was watching the Slytherin table. **_

_**A large group including Crabbe and Goyle were huddled together, deep in conversation. Harry was sure they were cooking up their own version of how Malfoy had got injured. **_

_**"Well, you can't say it wasn't an interesting first day back," said Ron gloomily. **_

_**They went up to the crowded Gryffindor common room after dinner and tried to do the homework Professor McGonagall had set them, but all three of them kept breaking off and glancing out of the tower window. **_

_**"There's a light on in Hagrid's window," said Harry suddenly. **_

_**Ron looked at his watch. **_

_**"If we hurried, we could go down and see him, it's still quite early..." **_

_**"I don't know," Hermione said slowly, and Harry saw her glance at him. **_

_**"I'm allowed to walk across the grounds," he said pointedly. "Sirius Black hasn't got past the Dementors here, has he?" **_

_**So they put their things away and headed out of the portrait hole, glad not to meet anybody on their way out of the front doors, as they weren't entirely sure they were supposed to be out. **_

_**The grass was still wet and looked almost black in the twilight. When they reached Hagrid's hut, they knocked, and a voice growled, "C'min." **_

_**Hagrid was sitting in his shirt-sleeves at his scrubbed wooden table; his boarhound, Fang, had his head in Hagrid's lap. **_

_**One look told them that Hagrid had been drinking a lot; there was a pewter tankard almost as big as a bucket in front of him, and he seemed to be having difficulty getting them into focus. **_

_**"'Spect it's a record," he said thickly, when he recognised them. "Don' reckon they've ever had a teacher who on'y lasted a day before." **_

_**"You haven't been sacked, Hagrid!" gasped Hermione. **_

There was a tense silence.

_**"Not yet," said Hagrid miserably, taking a gulp of whatever was in the tankard. "But 's only a matter o' time, i'n't it, after Malfoy..." **_

_**"How is he?" said Ron, as they all sat down. "It wasn't serious, was it?" **_

_**"Madam Pomfrey fixed him best she could," said Hagrid dully, "but he's sayin' it's still agony... covered in bandages... moanin'..." **_

"Oh please Lucius acted worse when he broke his leg by a Quidditch match, Severus spent the whole night by him in the Houspital Wing becouse Lucius's wouldn't let go of his hand or if yes then he started whimpering like a lost kitten." Rosier said grinning as both boys stared glarring at him.

"As said, unhealthy obsession." Abraxas muttered.

_**"He's faking it," said Harry at once. "Madam Pomfrey can mend anything. She regrew half my bones last year. Trust Malfoy to milk it for what it's worth." **_

"WHAT!"

"Later."

_**"School gov'nors have bin told, o' course," said Hagrid miserably. "They reckon I started too big. Shoulda left Hippogriffs fer later... done Flobberworms or summat... **_

_**jus' thought it'd make a good firs' lesson... 's all my fault ..." **_

_**"It's all Malfoy's fault, Hagrid!" said Hermione earnestly. **_

_**"We're witnesses," said Harry. "You said Hippogriffs attack if you insult them. It's Malfoy's problem he wasn't listening. We'll tell Dumbledore what really happened." **_

_**"Yeah, don't worry, Hagrid, we'll back you up," said Ron. **_

_**Tears leaked out of the crinkled corners of Hagrid's beetle-black eyes. He grabbed both Harry and Ron and pulled them into a bone-breaking hug. **_

_**"I think you've had enough to drink, Hagrid," said Hermione firmly. She took the tankard from the table and went outside to empty it. **_

_**"Ar, maybe she's right," said Hagrid, letting go of Harry and Ron, who both staggered away, rubbing their ribs. **_

_**Hagrid heaved himself out of his chair and followed Hermione steadily outside. They heard a loud splash. **_

_**"What's he done?" said Harry nervously, as Hermione came back with the empty tankard. **_

_**"Stuck his head in the water barrel," said Hermione, putting the tankard away. **_

_**Hagrid came back, his long hair and beard sopping wet, wiping the water out of his eyes. **_

_**"Tha's better," he said, shaking his head like a dog and drenching them all. "Listen, it was good of yeh ter come an' see me, I really-" **_

_**He stopped dead, staring at Harry as though he'd only just realised he was there. **_

_**"WHAT D'YEH THINK YOU'RE DOIN', EH?" he roared, so suddenly that they jumped a foot in the air. "YEH'RE NOT TO GO WANDERIN' AROUND AFTER DARK, HARRY! AN' YOU TWO! LETTIN' HIM!" **_

_**Hagrid strode over to Harry, grabbed his arm and pulled him to the door. **_

_**"C'mon!" Hagrid said angrily. "I'm takin' yer all back up ter school, an' don' let me catch yeh walkin' down ter see me after dark again. I'm not worth that!" **_

"So who reads next?" Lucius asked.

"I would like." Daria sais smiling.

_To be continued…_


	8. Shocking surpraise

A/N: ok this chapter will reweal my main twist of this story intreducing a few surprise characters and you will find out just who that cat is and for the ones who find that there are to much people reading already the number will go down by the next book so I don't want to hear any complains about that, I'm skipping my ninjutsu class to write this…

P.S.: before you ask I KNOW what I'm doing…

VIII. Shocking surprise, _Boggart in the Wardrobe _

* * *

Daria took the book from her son and looked down at the title after giving her husband a glare for making a snob out of her grandson.

"The title is _**Boggart in the Wardrobe**_" she read.

"That sounds interesting." Alphonse commented.

_**Malfoy didn't appear in classes until late on Thursday morning, when Slytherins and Gryffindors were halfway through double Potions. He swaggered into the dungeon, his right arm covered in bandages and bound up in a sling, acting, in Harry's opinion, as though he was the heroic survivor of some dreadful battle. **_

"Abraxas." Daria said suddenly, eyes closed.

"Yes darling."

"Tonight. Couch." She said and Abraxas paled while Alphonse started sniggering, he will really need to get a copy of that tape from the Evan boy.

"But darling." Abraxas whined, but was ignored.

_**"How is it, Draco?" simpered Pansy Parkinson. "Does it hurt much?" **_

_**"Yeah," said Malfoy, putting on a brave sort of grimace. But Harry saw him wink at Crabbe and Goyle when Pansy had looked away. **_

_**"Settle down, settle down," said Professor Snape idly. **_

_**Harry and Ron scowled at each other; Snape wouldn't have said "settle down" if **__**they'd **__**walked in late, he'd have given them detention. **_

"Well your father and godfather weren't never actually to nice to him, plus Draco looks up to his godfather." Lucius said and Abraxas nearly shouted in shock, his son was making the Half-Blood boy to his grandson's godfather?

_**But Malfoy had always been able to get away with anything in Snape's classes; Snape was Head of Slytherin House, and generally favoured his own students before all others. **_

"Slytherin are only prefered by they own Head of House and no one other and becouse of that have we now the Voldy problem on our backs." James said startling most of the adults.

"James…" his father said.

"No dad really we were told everything about this when reading the second book where Harry faced Slytherin's beast a basilisk" the parents gasped at this" Gryffindor missunderstood Slytherin's doings and banned him from the school that is the ground for the hate between the two Houses and Gryffindor House had always the Hufflepuffs on they side and slowly they turned also Ravenclaw House against the Slytherin, they were left alone that is the ground why they become evil then there they got acceptance from others. Mom, Dad this is all our foult." James finished with tears glistering in his eyes, even he didn't know that since reading the second book he had understood so many things and they plagued him, it was all they foult for pushing Slytherin House away no one would have been hurt or killed by Voldemorth and his Death Eathers then he wouldn't have even existed.

James looked up as he felt suddenly arms wrap around him, his mother was hugging him to calm him.

"It is alright James." He heard his mother whisper.

"We should continue reading." Lily said softly and James nodded as he left his mother's embrace.

"Then I will continue." Daria said, but James could have sworn that he heard her whisper _"Thank you for understanding us"_ to him.

_**They were making a new potion today, a Shrinking Solution. Malfoy set up his cauldron right next to Harry and Ron, so that they were preparing ingredients on the same table. **_

_**"Sir," Malfoy called, "sir, I'll need help cutting up these daisy roots, because of my arm-" **_

_**"Weasley, cut up Malfoy's roots for him," said Snape, without looking up. **_

"Actually that was a good idea to say." Severus said.

"Hmm…"

"Lucius once nearly hit the person on his left when his right arm was broken and he tried cutting up slugs with his left hand." Narcissa said and two pair of parents paled and thanked Severus's future self fo remembering that incident and telling Ron to do it.

_**Ron went brick red. **_

_**"There's nothing wrong with your arm," he hissed at Malfoy. **_

_**Malfoy smirked across the table. **_

_**"Weasley, you heard Professor Snape, cut up these roots." **_

_**Ron seized his knife, pulled Malfoy's roots towards him and began to chop them roughly, so that they were all different sizes. **_

"Uhm…"

"Sharp object are not for anger management." Andromada said as she thre a side glance at her twin.

_**"Professor," drawled Malfoy, "Weasley's mutilating my roots, sir." **_

"Now is he in for it." Severus said groaning.

"Erm…we made him a rather scarry teacher…" Sirius said while grinning sheepishly.

_**Snape approached their table, stared down his hooked nose at the roots, then gave Ron an unpleasant smile from beneath his long, greasy black hair. **_

"Oh how I just love that description." Severus growled as he felt Lucius hugging him.

"Don't worry Sev I like you the way you are." He said smiling as he nuzzled the other boy's check.

Abraxas only cringed at this, boys don't hug on every occassion they are near each other that was just…he shuddered suddenly as a few unwanted pictures created by his worries entered his head just WHAT those two could be doing alone in they room mostly that Abraxas KNEW that it was one of the rooms with only ONE bed and his son had the tendency to snuggle up to people laying beside him.

"Uhm…father are you ok?" Lucius asked suddenly, arms still around his friend.

"Erm…yes…" he answered hurriedly.

"Aha…"

_**"Change roots with Malfoy, Weasley." **_

_**"But sir-!" **_

_**Ron had spent the last quarter of an hour carefully shredding his own roots into exactly equal pieces. **_

_**"**__**Now**__**," said Snape in his most dangerous voice. **_

"Uhm…I think we heard that one by the last book some time after getting confirmed that Parseltongue really sounds scarry…" James said.

"Just where did you hear Parseltongue?" Alphonse asked with a raise brow.

"_They have heard it from me…" _all parents and the three Muggle children looked around alarmed at the hissing noise as they eyes suddenly found the source.

"Now you have the answer." Sirius said grinning.

"Parseltongue is really scarry, but cool." Regulus commented in an awed tone.

_**Ron shoved his own beautifully cut roots across the table at Malfoy, then took up the knife again. **_

_**"And, sir, I'll need this Shrivelfig skinned," said Malfoy, his voice full on malicious laughter. **_

_**"Potter, you can skin Malfoy's Shrivelfig," said Snape, giving Harry the look of loathing he always reserved just for him. **_

"As you said you messed up his personality James Potter you didn't say that you have messed it up to THAT degree." Allana Potter said to her son who flinched.

_**Harry took Malfoy's Shrivelfig as Ron began trying to repair the damage to the roots he now had to use. Harry skinned the Shrivelfig as fast as he could and flung it back across the table at Malfoy without speaking. Malfoy was smirking more broadly than ever.**_

_**"Seen your old pal Hagrid lately?" he asked them quietly.**_

_**"None of your business," said Ron jerkily, without looking up.**_

_**"I'm afraid he won't be a teacher much longer," said Malfoy in a tone of mock sorrow. "Father's not very happy about my injury-"**_

"After seing him faint we know." Sirius commented and Lucius blushed.

_**"Keep talking, Malfoy, and I'll give you a real injury," snarled Ron.**_

_**"-he's complained to the school governors. **__**And**__** to the Ministry of Magic. Father's got a lot of influence, you know. And a lasting injury like this-" **_

"You are overdoing it darling just like a certain person who is sleeping for a loong while on the couch." Daria said and Abraxas let his head drop.

_**he gave a huge fake sigh, "who knows if my arm'll ever be the same again?" **_

_**"So that's why you're putting it on," said Harry, accidentally beheading a dead caterpillar because his hand was shaking in anger. "To try and get Hagrid sacked." **_

_**"Well," said Malfoy, lowering his voice to a whisper, "**__**partly**__**, Potter. But there are other benefits, too. Weasley, slice my caterpillars for me." **_

_**Cauldrons away, Neville was in trouble. **_

"Not again." Both Frank and Alice groaned.

"Oh dear, that boy really has no tallent for this class." Daria said.

_**Neville regularly went to pieces in Potions lessons; it was his worst subject, and his great fear of Professor Snape made things ten times worse. **_

_**His potion, which was supposed to be a bright, acid green, had turned- **_

_**"Orange, Longbottom,"**_

"WHAT!" Alice and Frank yelled.

"Ugh…even Peter doesn't mess up his potions like that…" James said flinching.

"I'm going to take his head…" Severus groaned and Lucius wrapped his arms again around him, head resting on the black head's shoulder which made his father stare at them with a mix of worry and panick which was also noticed by Alphonse who didn't understand the older Malfoy's reaction.

_**said Snape, ladling some up and allowing it to splash back into the cauldron, so that everyone could see. "Orange. Tell me, boy, does anything penetrate that thick skull of yours? Didn't you hear me say, quite clearly, that only one rat spleen was needed? Didn't I state quite plainly that a dash of leech juice would suffice? What do I have to do to make you understand, Longbottom?"**_

_**Neville was pink and trembling. He looked as though he was on the verge of tears. **_

_**"Please, sir," said Hermione, "please, I could help Neville put it right-" **_

_**"I don't remember asking you to show off, Miss Granger," said Snape coldly, and Hermione went as pink as Neville. "Longbottom, at the end of this lesson we will feed a few drops of this potion to your toad and see what happens. Perhaps that will encourage you to do it properly. **_

"Isn't that a bit harsh?" Lily asked her friend.

"No." Said Mrs. Potter shocking everyone.

_**Snape moved away, leaving Neville breathless with fear. **_

_**"Help me!" he moaned to Hermione. **_

_**"Hey, Harry," said Seamus Finnigan, leaning over to borrow Harry's brass scales, "have you heard? **__**Daily Prophet**__** this morning- they reckon Sirius Black's been sighted." **_

"And here I come again…" Sirius groaned.

_**"Where?" said Harry and Ron quickly. On the other side of the table, Malfoy looked up, listening closely. **_

_**"Not too far from here," said Seamus, who looked excited. "It was a Muggle who saw him. 'Course, she didn't really understand. The Muggles think he's just an ordinary criminal, don't they? So she phoned the telephone hotline. By the time the Ministry of Magic got there, he was gone." **_

_**"Not too far from here..." Ron repeated, looking significantly at Harry. He turned around and saw Malfoy watching closely. "What, Malfoy? Need something else skinned?" **_

_**But Malfoy's eyes were shining malevolently, and they were fixed on Harry. He leaned across the table. **_

_**"Thinking of trying to catch Black single-handed, Potter?" **_

_**"Yeah, that's right," said Harry offhandedly. **_

_**Malfoy's thin mouth was curving in a mean smile. **_

_**"Of course, if it was me," he said quietly, "I'd have done something before now. I wouldn't be staying in school like a good boy, I'd be out there looking for him." **_

"Draco darling please don't embarasse yourself." Narcissa said.

_**"What are you talking about, Malfoy?" said Ron roughly. **_

_**"Don't you **__**know**__**, Potter?" breathed Malfoy, his pale eyes narrowed. **_

_**"Know what?" **_

_**Malfoy let out a low, sneering laugh. **_

_**"Maybe you'd rather not risk your neck," he said. "Want to leave it to the Dementors, do you? But if it was me, I'd want revenge. I'd hunt him down myself." **_

_**"**__**What are you talking about?**__**" said Harry angrily, but at that moment Snape called, "You should have finished adding your ingredients by now. This potion needs to stew before it can be drunk; clear away while it simmers and then we'll test Longbottom's..." **_

_**Crabbe and Goyle laughed openly, watching Neville sweat as he stirred his potion feverishly. Hermione was muttering instructions to him out of the corner of her mouth, so that Snape wouldn't see. **_

"I will soo notice even without reading her mind…" Severus said.

"What?" most of the adults asked shocked.

"Your mother would have been proud Severus, she was a rather skilled Ligilemense and Occulemist." Daria said smiling as Severus dark eyes lit up with happiness, he didn't know that his mother had learned this skills also, but now that he knew he was more determinded learning them.

_**Harry and Ron packed away their unused ingredients and went to wash their hands and ladles in the stone basin in the corner. **_

_**"What did Malfoy mean?" Harry muttered to Ron, as he stuck his hands under the icy jet that poured from a gargoyle's mouth. "Why would I want revenge on Black? He hasn't done anything to me- yet." **_

"And I never will," said Sirius.

_**"He's making it up," said Ron savagely, "he's trying to make you do something stupid..." **_

_**The end of the lesson in sight, Snape strode over to Neville, who was cowering by his cauldron. **_

_**"Everyone gather round," said Snape, his black eyes glittering, "and watch what happens to Longbottom's toad. **_

_**If he has managed to produce a Shrinking solution, it will shrink to a tadpole. If, as I don't doubt, he has done it wrong, his toad is likely to be poisoned." **_

"Sev, you make it sound like an execution." Lucius commented, chin still resting on Severus's shoulder.

_**The Gryffindors watched fearfully. The Slytherins looked excited. Snape picked up Trevor the toad in his left hand, and dipped a small spoon into Neville's potion, which was now green. He trickled a few drops down Trevor's throat. **_

There was a hushed silence.

_**There was a moment of hushed silence, in which Trevor gulped; then there was a small pop, and Trevor the tadpole was wriggling in Snape's palm. **_

_**The Gryffindors burst into applause. Snape, looking sour, pulled a small bottle from the pocket of his robe, poured a few drops on top of Trevor and he reappeared suddenly, fully grown. **_

_**"Five points from Gryffindor," said Snape, which wiped the smiles from every face. **_

_**"I told you not to help him, Miss Granger. Class dismissed." **_

"Told you I would notice after such a grawe messing up there is an absolutely perfect potion…"

"True, every teacher would have noticed that the person got help." Molly said.

_**Harry, Ron and Hermione climbed the steps to the Entrance Hall. Harry was still thinking about what Malfoy had said, while Ron was seething about Snape. **_

_**"Five points from Gryffindor because the potion was all right! Why didn't you lie, Hermione? You should've said Neville did it all by himself!" **_

_**Hermione didn't answer. Ron looked around. **_

_**"Where is she?" **_

_**Harry turned, too. They were at the top of the steps now, watching the rest of the class pass them, heading for the Great Hall and lunch. **_

_**"She was right behind us," said Ron frowning. **_

_**Malfoy passed them, walking between Crabbe and Goyle. He smirked at Harry and disappeared. **_

_**"There she is," said Harry. **_

_**Hermione was panting slightly, hurrying up the stairs; one hand was clutching her bag, the other seemed to be tucking something down the front of her robes. **_

_**"How did you do that?" said Ron. **_

_**"What?" said Hermione, joining them. **_

_**"One minute you were right behind us, and next moment, you were back at the bottom of the stairs again." **_

_**"What?" Hermione looked slightly confused. "Oh- I had to go back for something. Oh, no..." **_

_**A seam had split on Hermione's bag. Harry wasn't surprised; he could see that it was crammed with at least a dozen large and heavy books. **_

_**"Why are you carrying all these around with you?" Ron asked her. **_

_**"You know how many subjects I'm taking," said Hermione breathlessly. "Couldn't hold these for me, could you?" **_

_**"But-" Ron was turning over the books she had handed him, looking at the covers - "you haven't got any of these subjects today. It's only Defence Against the Dark Arts this afternoon." **_

"Yay, Moony's first class." Sirius said cheering as Remus blushed.

_**"Oh, yes," said Hermione vaguely, but she packed all the books back into her bag just the same. "I hope there's something good for lunch, I'm starving," she added, and she marched off towards the Great Hall. **_

"Okay, Hermione is definitely hiding something," said Sirius.

_**"D'you get the feeling Hermione's not telling us something?" Ron asked Harry. **_

_**Professor Lupin wasn't there when they arrived at his first Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson. **_

_**They all sat down, took out their books, quills and parchment, and were talking when he finally entered the room. Lupin smiled vaguely and placed his tatty old briefcase on the teacher's desk. He was as shabby as ever but looked healthier than he had on the train, as though he had had a few square meals. **_

_**"Good afternoon," he said. "Would you please put all your books back in your bags. Today's will be a practical lesson. You will only need your wands." **_

"Those classes are the best." Both James and his father said in union.

Daria smiled at them, but as she was about to continue stormed suddenly two teenagers inside the room, but that wat had actually shocked them was that they certainly had the typical Malfoy traits as in gray-blue eyes, pointed face, pale skin and blonde hair.

"Car we have a big problem…" started the first one.

"…a rather big problem." ended the second one as suddenly the black cat jumped from the nightstand she was laying on and turned in to a young girl around the two boys age startling everyone. The girl had shoulder lengt black hair, pale skin and dark emerald eyes she wore just like the boys a Hogwarts uniform.

"Luci, Reg calm down and take deep breaths just what is the problem?" she asked the duo fully ignoring they gapping audience.

"Erm…sorry, but what sort of trouble?" asked James awkwardly.

"THAT!" screamed the twins suddenly as they hid behind the girl who stared pale to the still trashed door in which now a mayesthetic black panther stood, it's yellow eyes gleaming.

"We are done for…" the girl said as the panther made itself ready to jump, the parents had already they wands drawn, but then the creature transformed making everyone gap and stare from the newcommer to Severus and then back.

"Erm…Severus, could it be that you have a twin brother?" Lucius asked, but before the boy could answer stood the other boy furriously in front of the three strangers.

"Erm…hay big brother…" the girl said while grinning awkwardly as the boy rounded on them in full volume.

"CARITY MINERVA SNAPE JUST WHAT IN MERLIN'S SNAME ARE YOU THINKING YOU ARE BLOODY DOING HERE!" he roared with a faint schottish accent to his tone.

"Well erm…"

"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU, DO YOU EVEN KNOW HOW DANGEROUS IT IS WHAT YOU ARE DOING HERE!"

"Uhm…"

"YOU…" but then the boy suddenly stopped and started massaging his temples. "Calm down Sev no need to get your blood presure up…" he said in a normal tone volume. "Which book Carity?" he asked the girl.

"Uhm…they are now by the third…" she said.

"Tird book, third book…ah yes I remember which one that was." He said as he looked over the people sitting there. "You know that at least half of his group has absolutely no purpose for the things happening in the future.

"Yes I know…" she said while looking at her still fumming brother.

"Excouse us, but would someone please be so kind and explain to us what is happening here?" asked Allana Potter.

"Uhm…yes you see we four are from the future and the twins here beside me and I were three of the six people who have sent the books here." Carity started.

"Three of six? Who was also in it Carity." The boy said in a low voice.

"Wow…he can be scarry…" Sirius whispered to James who nodded.

"Well erm… Daphne, Kalia and…" she mumbled the last name so that it was hard to hear.

"What was the last name?"

"Uhm…Ro…" she said as the boys's face darkened.

"ROWENA HELGA POTTER HOW COULD YOU TAKE PART IN THIS CHILDISH SUICIDE ACTION!" he yelled in frustration before calming down again. "I will have a LONG talk with her after we are back home.

"But they need to finish all seven books…." Carity said.

"No…arg…the damage was done alright I will inform mom and she can talk to the Ministry about what we should do…" the boy growled as he called his patronus which was the same as his Animagus form. "Mom we got a rather big mess here in the past, use combined Ligilemency on my patronus to see what I mean." He said and the patronus was of. "And now to the introducions my name is Severus Salazar Snape, fouth year Slytherin student." The boy said. "And before you ask he..." with that he pointed one long finger at Severus who stared shocked at the boy who looked so much like him. "…is our grandfather our mother keept her maiden name after her marriage."

"Hay my name as you already know thanks to my brother is Carity Minerva Snape and I'm a second year Rawenclaw." She said smiling as now everyone noticed the Ravenclaw crest on her robe.

"Well then who starts?" asked one of the twins about which everyone was sure that they were Malfoys.

"I think you should start after Car." The other replied.

"Well then my name is Lucius Draco Malfoy and I'm also a second year Ravenclaw and first Malfoy to be sorted in that House." He said and Lucius smiled while his mother was happy that she had a chance seeing her great-grandchildren.

"Now my turn, Regulus Nigellus Malfoy second year Gryffindor and second Malfoy in the family to be sorted in that House." The other blonde replied and both Regulus and Phineas's portrait smiled that the boy was named after them, but Sirius suddenly noticed something.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN SECOND IN THE FAMILY TO BE SORTED IN TO GRYFFINDOR!" Sirius shouted and suddenly everyone remembered that the second Malfoy boy was in Gryffindor making most people gap in shock.

"Well before me was our dad Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy to be correct also in Gryffindor and is now our Head of House." Reg answered as both Abraxas and Alphonse fainted in shock while the others were gapping.

"Oookeyy…erm…say when Godric sayd that he would snog Slytherin if a Potter was ever sorted in to Slytherin…" James started.

"Dad's best friend uncle Al was nearly sorted in there, but he choose Gryffindor to protect dad from his brother who was a total git." Luci answered anstead of his twin.

"But his younger sister Lily Luna was sorted in there and married later a fellow Slytherin, Abrix Nott." Finished Reg and now did James also faint.

"Uhm…what are the names of her two brothers?" Lily asked couriously after seing that both Vernon and Marge were in a death faint since they saw the panther.

"Our godfather's full name is Albus Severus Potter and his older brother's name is James Sirius." Carity said as Sirius, Severus and Lucius also joined in, in fainting.

"Great, Eneverate them and lets continue reading." Sev said as he took his panther form again and laid down by the wall.

"Uhm…sorry he is actually rather nice, but we pissed him off with this highly and well graddad's and grandmum's tempers combined with that of Slytherin and Ravenclaw is a…lets just say we are lucky to be alive." Carity said as she turned in to her cat form and walked up to the panther laying a little paw ont he larger one and meowing in an apologic way.

Everyone watched as the larger cat looked down and the smaler feline before nudging it with his nose making the cat pur as she laid down beside him happily.

"Looks like he isn't so mad with her anymore." Luci said to his twin as they sat down.

After _Eneverating _everyone like four times was everyone finally awake and Daria could start reading again even if most members of the group felt rather awkward and Severus rather annoyed as both James and Sirius were listing up girls togrther who could be the mother of Severus's future daughter and this brought Severus to the main point he absolutely couldn't imagine himself being the father of a little girl, but looking at the two black haired teens mostly at the boy who could be his clone there was absolutely no mistake that they were blood related. While that went on was Abraxas looking at the twins ok they acted like Malfoys in that age would, but also a bit strangely.

"Before you ask the twins mother is the granddaughter of Newt Sacamber who become a famous magizoologist in the future and also the daughter of…" at this Sev's lips curled up in to a smile worth his grandfather's future self"…Luna Lovegood." He finished as suddenly Abraxas screamed in horror before fainting, Lucius only fainted.

"Really this is the last time for today." Druella said as she took her wand out.

After both Malfoys were back again and Abraxas let out a long rant about Lovegoods which ended with him being turned in to the cross of a rabbit, frog, hamster and a crab started Daria reading before something other happens even if she needed to laugh at her husband's new appearance.

_**A few curious looks were exchanged as the class put away their books. They had never had a practical Defence Against the Dark Arts before, unless you counted the memorable class last year when their old teacher had brought a cageful of pixies to class and set them loose. **_

"He did what?" the parents asked shocked.

"As it stands there minus the part when he departed in panic." Alice explained to the parents who shook they heads.

_**"Right then," said Professor Lupin, when everyone was ready, "if you'd follow me." **_

_**Puzzled but interested, the class got to its feet and followed Professor Lupin out of the classroom. He led them along the deserted corridor and around a corner, where the first thing they saw was Peeves the Poltergeist, who was floating upside-down in mid-air and stuffing the nearest keyhole with chewing gum. **_

_**Peeves didn't look up until Professor Lupin was two feet away, then he wiggled his curly-toed feet and broke into song. **_

_**"Loony, loopy Lupin," Peeves sang. "Loony, loopy Lupin, loony, loopy Lupin-" **_

_**Rude and unimaginable as he almost always was, Peeves usually showed some respect towards the teachers. Everyone looked quickly at Professor Lupin to see how he would take this; to their surprise, he was still smiling. **_

_**"I'd take that gum out of the keyhole, if I were you, Peeves," he said pleasantly. "Mr Filch won't be able to get to his brooms." **_

_**Filch was the Hogwarts caretaker, a bad-tempered, failed wizard who waged a constant war against the students and, indeed, Peeves. **_

_**However, Peeves paid no attention to Professor Lupin's words, except to blow a loud wet raspberry. **_

_**Professor Lupin gave a small sigh and took out his wand. **_

"It still sounds so strange hearing this." Remus commented.

_**"This is a useful little spell," he told the class over his shoulder. "Please watch closely." He raised the wand to shoulder height, said "**__**Waddiwasi**__**!" and pointed it at Peeves. **_

"I soo love that spell." Sirius said grinning as he recogrinaised it.

_**With the force of a bullet, the wad of chewing gum shot out of the keyhole and straight down Peeves's left nostril; he whirled right way up and zoomed away, cursing. **_

They all began laughing.

_**"Cool, sir!" said Dean Thomas in amazement. **_

_**"Thank you, Dean," said Professor Lupin, putting his wand away. **_

_**They set off again, the class looking at shabby Professor Lupin with increased respect. He led them down a second corridor and stopped, right outside the staff-room door. **_

_**"Inside, please," said Professor Lupin, opening it and standing back. **_

_**The staff room, a long, panelled room full of old, mismatched chairs was now empty except for one teacher. Professor Snape was sitting in a low armchair, and he looked around as the class filed in. **_

_**His eyes were glittering and there was a nasty sneer playing around his mouth. As Professor Lupin came in and made to close the door behind him, Snape said, "Leave it open, Lupin. I'd rather not witness this." **_

_**He got to his feet and strode past the class, his black robes billowing behind him. At the doorway he turned on his heel and said, "Possibly no one's told you, Lupin, but this class contains Neville Longbottom. **_

"Uhm…hope Neville doesn't mess up." Alice said a bit worriedly, when they had such a class for the first time she was so nervous that her hand shook while performing the dissarming spell and she had sent they teacher accidentaly out of the window.

_**I would advise you not to entrust him with anything difficult. Not unless Miss Granger is hissing instructions in his ear." **__**.**_

"Looks like you saw her helping." Peter chimmed in after a long while of being still, but he needed to notice that four pair of ayes were staring at him icily.

_**Neville went scarlet. Harry glared at Snape; it was bad enough that he bullied Neville in his own classes, let alone doing it in front of other teachers. **_

_**Professor Lupin had raised his eyebrows. **_

_**"I was hoping that Neville would assist me with the first stage of the operation," he said, "and I am sure he will perform it admirably." **_

"That was nice of you," said Lily.

_**Neville's face went, if possible, even redder. Snape's lip curled, but he left, shutting the door with a snap. **_

_**"Now, then," said Professor Lupin, beckoning the class towards the end of the room, where there was nothing except an old wardrobe in which the teachers kept their spare robes. As Professor Lupin went to stand next to it, the wardrobe gave a sudden wobble, banging off the wall. **_

"Must be the Boggart." said Peter.

"That should explain the title." Cygnus said.

_**"Nothing to worry about," said Professor Lupin calmly, as a few people jumped backwards in alarm. "There's a Boggart in there." **_

_**Most people seemed to feel that this **__**was**__** something to worry about. Neville gave Professor Lupin a look of pure terror, and Seamus Finnigan eyed the now rattling doorknob apprehensively. **_

_**"Boggarts like dark, enclosed spaces," said Professor Lupin. "Wardrobes, the gap beneath beds, the cupboards under sinks- I once met one that had lodged itself in a grandfather clock. This one moved in yesterday afternoon, and I asked the Headmaster if the staff would leave it to give my third-years some practice." **_

_**"So, the first question we must ask ourselves is, what is a Boggart?" **_

_**Hermione put up her hand. "It's a shape-shifter," she said. "It can take the shape of whatever it thinks will frighten us most." **_

_**"Couldn't have put it better myself," said Professor Lupin, and Hermione glowed. **_

_**"So the Boggart sitting in the darkness within has not yet assumed a form. He does not yet know what will frighten the person on the other side of the door. Nobody knows what a Boggart looks like when he is alone, but when I let him out, he will immediately become whatever each of us most fears." **_

_**"This means," said Professor Lupin, choosing to ignore Neville's small splutter of terror, "that we have a huge advantage over that Boggart before we begin. Have you spotted it, Harry?" **_

_**Trying to answer a question with Hermione next to him, bobbing up and down on the balls of her feet with her hand in the air, was very off-putting, but Harry had a go. **_

_**"Er- because there are so many of us, it won't know what shape it should be?" **_

_**"Precisely," said Professor Lupin, and Hermione put her hand down, looking a little disappointed. "It's always best to have company when you're dealing with a Boggart. He becomes confused. Which should he become, a headless corpse or a flesh-eating slug? I once saw a Boggart make that very mistake- tried to frighten two people at once and turned himself into half a slug. Not remotely frightening." **_

_**"The charm that repels a Boggart is simple, yet it requires force of mind. You see, the thing that really finishes a Boggart is laughter. What you need to do is force it to assume a shape that you find amusing. **_

_**"We will practise the charm without wands first. After me, please... **__**riddikulus**__**!" **_

_**"**__**Riddikulus**__**!" said the class together. **_

_**"Good," said Professor Lupin. "Very good. But that was the easy part, I'm afraid. You see, the word alone is not enough. And this is where you come in, Neville." **_

_**The wardrobe shook again, though not as much as Neville, who walked forward as though he was heading for the gallows. **_

"Well at least you are not in the danger to get thrown out of a window." Alice said to Remus who suddenly paled as he remembereat that little accident in they first year.

_**"Right, Neville," said Professor Lupin. "First things first: what would you say is the thing that frightens you most in the world?" **_

_**Neville's lips moved, but no noise came out. **_

_**"Didn't catch that, Neville, sorry," said Professor Lupin cheerfully. **_

_**Neville looked around rather wildly, as though begging someone to help him, then said, in barely more than a whisper,**_

"Oh dear…" said Daria before continuing.

**"Professor Snape." **

Sirius and James stifled laughter while Severus groaned.

"By the way grandpa you still are his wost fear." Carity suddenly said and now broke both James and Sirius really out laughing while Frank glarred at them.

_**Nearly everyone laughed. Even Neville grinned apologetically. Professor Lupin, however, looked thoughtful. **_

_**"Professor Snape... hmmm... Neville, I believe you live with your grandmother?" **_

_**"Er- yes," said Neville nervously. "But- I don't want the Boggart to turn into her, either." **_

_**"No, no, you misunderstand me," said Professor Lupin, now smiling. "I wonder, could you tell us what sort of clothes your grandmother usually wears?" **_

"…"

"Remus…" Severus hissed icily as said boy hid behind a shaking Sirius who absolutely din't like that manical look Severus was giving them, but he was luckily that Lucius holding him back.

_**Neville looked startled, but said, "Well... always the same hat. A tall one with a stuffed vulture on top. And a long dress... green, normally... and sometimes a fox-fur scarf." **_

_**"And a handbag?" prompted Professor Lupin. **_

_**"A big red one," said Neville. **_

_**"Right then," said Professor Lupin. "Can you picture those clothes very clearly, Neville? Can you see them in your mind's eye?" **_

_**"Yes," said Neville uncertainly, plainly wondering what was coming next. **_

_**"When the Boggart bursts out of this wardrobe, Neville, and sees you, it will assume the form of Professor Snape," said Lupin. "And you will raise your wand- thus- and cry '**__**Riddikulus**__**'- and concentrate hard on your grandmother's clothes. If all goes well, Professor Boggart Snape will be forced into that vulture-topped hat, that green dress, that big red handbag." **_

_**There was a great shout of laughter. The wardrobe wobbled more violently. **_

_**"If Neville is successful, the Boggart is likely to turn his attention to each of us in turn," said Professor Lupin. "I would like all of you to take a moment now to think of the thing that scares you the most, and imagine how you might force it to look comical..." **_

_**The room went very quiet. Harry thought... What scared him most in the world? **_

_**His first thought was Lord Voldemort- a Voldemort returned to full strength. **_

Most people in the room shuddered.

_**But before he had even started to plan a possible counter-attack on a Boggart-Voldemort, a horrible image came floating to the surface of his mind... **_

_**A rotting, glistening hand, slithering back beneath a black cloak... a long, rattling breath from an unseen mouth... then a cold so penetrating it felt like drowning... **_

"Dementors," said James quietly. Lily gasped and put her hand on James's arm.

_**Harry shivered, then looked around, hoping no one had noticed. Many people had their eyes shut tight. Ron was muttering to himself, "Take its legs off." **_

_**Harry was sure he knew what that was about. Ron's greatest fear was spiders. **_

_**"Everybody ready?" said Professor Lupin. **_

_**Harry felt a lurch of fear. He wasn't ready. How could you make a Dementor less frightening? But he didn't want to ask for more time; everyone else was nodding and rolling up their sleeves. **_

_**"Neville, we're going to back away," said Professor Lupin. "Let you have a clear field, all right? I'll call the next person forward... everyone back, now, so Neville can get a clear shot-" **_

_**They all retreated, backing against the walls, leaving Neville alone beside the wardrobe. He looked pale and frightened, but he had pushed up the sleeves of his robes and was holding his wand ready. **_

_**"On the count of three, Neville," said Professor Lupin, who was pointing his own wand at the handle of the wardrobe. "One- two- three- **__**now**__**!" **_

_**A jet of sparks shot form the end of Professor Lupin's wand and hit the doorknob. The wardrobe burst open. **_

_**Hook-nosed and menacing, Professor Snape stepped out, his eyes flashing at Neville. **_

"The sight most students are frightened of, they teacher comming out of a wardrobe." Alphonse whispered to Cygnus who nodded in agrement.

_**Neville backed away, his wand up, mouthing wordlessly. **_

_**Snape was bearing down upon him, reaching inside his robes. **_

_**"**__**R-r-riddikulus!**__**" squeaked Neville. **_

_**There was a noise like a whip-crack. Snape stumbled; he was wearing a long, lace trimmed dress and a towering hat topped with a moth-eaten vulture, and swinging a huge crimson handbag from his hand. **_

At this both James and Sirius bust out laughing hysterically while the others tried to not laugh, but they all lost the beatle and were laughing as both pranksters screamed in shock as they found themselves in the a minute ago dscribed outfit, turning to they side they noticed Sev again in his human form, wand drawn with a dark smile on his lips.

_**There was a roar of laughter; the Boggart paused, confused, and Professor Lupin shouted, "Parvati! Forward!" **_

_**Parvati walked forward, her face set. Snape rounded on her. There was another crack, and where he had stood was a blood-stained, bandaged mummy; its sightless face was turned to Parvati and it began to walk towards her, very slowly, dragging its feet, its stiff arms rising- **_

_**"**__**Riddikulus!**__**" cried Parvati. **_

_**A bandage unravelled at the mummy's feet; it became entangled, fell face forwards and its head rolled off. **_

_**"Seamus!" roared Professor Lupin. **_

_**Seamus darted past Parvati. **_

_**Crack!**__** Where the mummy had been was a woman with floor-length black hair and a skeletal, green-tinged face- a banshee. **_

_**She opened her mouth wide and an unearthly sound filled the room, a long, wailing shriek which made the hair on Harry's head stand on end- **_

_**"**__**Riddikulus!**__**" shouted Seamus. **_

_**The banshee made rasping noise and clutched her throat; her voice was gone. **_

"I wish that could happen to my mother," muttered Sirius.

"Ah so you know?" Druella asked.

"What aunt Druella?" Sirius asked confused.

"That your mother is quarter banshee." She said and Sirius stared at her gapping while Regulus muttered a '_wow'._

_**Crack! **__**The banshee turned into a rat, which chased its tail in a circle, **_

_**then- **__**crack!**__**- became a rattlesnake, which slithered and writhed before- **__**crack!**__**- becoming a single bloody eyeball. **_

_**"It's confused!" shouted Lupin. "We're getting there! Dean!" **_

_**Dean hurried forward. **_

_**Crack! **__**The eyeball became a severed hand, which flipped over, and began to creep along the floor like a crab. **_

_**"**__**Riddikulus!**__**" yelled Dean. **_

_**There was a snap, and the hand was trapped in a mousetrap. **_

_**"Excellent! Ron, you next!" **_

_**Ron leapt forward. **_

_**Crack!**_

_**Quite a few people screamed. A giant spider, six feet tall and covered in hair, was advancing on Ron, clicking its pincers menacingly. **_

Carity felt her brother shivering on her side and snuggled closer to him to calm the older boy.

_**For a moment, Harry thought Ron had frozen. Then- **_

_**"**__**Riddikulus!**__**" bellowed Ron, and the spider's legs vanished. It rolled over and over; Lavender squealed and ran out of its way and it came to a halt at Harry's feet. **_

_**He raised his wand, ready, but- **_

_**"Here!" shouted Professor Lupin suddenly, hurrying forward. **_

"Moony…" James whined still in the clothing of Frank's mother.

"James I think no one wants the Dark Lord standing in the middle of the staff room." Remus commented.

"Oh yes, eh…sorry…"

_**Crack! **_

_**The legless spider had vanished. For a second, everyone looked wildly around to see where it was. **_

_**Then they saw a silvery white orb hanging in the air in front of Lupin, who said "**__**Riddikulus!**__**" almost lazily. **_

"The moon?" asked James.

_**Crack! **_

_**"Forward, Neville, and finish him off!" said Lupin, as the Boggart landed on the floor as a cockroach. **__**Crack!**__** Snape was back. This time Neville charged forward looking determined. **_

_**"**__**Riddikulus!**__**" he shouted, and they had a split second's view of Snape in his lacy dress before Neville let out a great "Ha!" of laughter, and the Boggart exploded, burst into a thousand tiny wisps of smoke, and was gone. **_

_**"Excellent!" cried Professor Lupin, as the class broke into applause. "Excellent, Neville. Well done, everyone. Let me see... five points to Gryffindor for every person to tackle the Boggart- ten for Neville because he did it twice- and five each to Hermione and Harry." **_

_**"But I didn't do anything," said Harry. **_

_**"You and Hermione answered my questions correctly at the start of the class, Harry," said Lupin lightly. **_

_**"Very well, everyone, an excellent lesson. Homework, **_

"What!"

"Padfoot I'm a teacher there."

_**kindly read the chapter on Boggarts and summarise it for me... to be handed in on Monday. That will be all." **_

_**Talking excitedly, the class left the staff room. Harry, however, wasn't feeling cheerful. **_

"Oh dear," said Lily, sounding worried.

_**Professor Lupin had deliberately stopped him tackling the Boggart. Why? **_

_**Was it because he'd seen Harry collapse on the train, and thought he wasn't up to much? Had he thought Harry would pass out again? **_

_**But no one else seemed to have noticed anything. **_

_**"Did you see me take that banshee?" shouted Seamus. **_

_**"And the hand!" said Dean, waving his own around. **_

_**"And Snape in that hat!" **_

_**"And my mummy!" **_

_**"I wonder why Professor Lupin's frightened of crystal balls?" said Lavender thoughtfully. **_

"Probably because Sibyll Trelawney might be at the other side!" laughed Remus.

_**"That was the best Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson we've ever had, wasn't it?" said Ron excitedly, as they made their way back to the classroom to get their bags. **_

_**"He seems to be a very good teacher," said Hermione approvingly. "But I wish I could have had a turn with the Boggart-"**_

"Probably a failed exam." Sirius commented chuckling.

_**"What would it have been for you?" said Ron, sniggering. "A piece of homework that only got nine out of ten?" **_

"Abraxas you read." Daria said as she pushed the book to her husband who finally got his normal body back.

_To be continued… _

* * *

A/N: ok to get things sorted out I will probably refer to the twins as 'Luci' – if you know a better thing to make Lucius int o a nick name then tell me and 'Reg' by the twons Carity can stay and I will refer to Severus Salazar as 'Sal' anstead of 'Sev', but becouse I want to get this uploaded and it is already two int he morning I will not change that in this chapter…


	9. Who is the grandmother part I

IX. Who is the grandmother part I, _Flight of the Fat Lady_

* * *

Abraxas stared shocked at his wife who smiled at him, really how could a woman be so delicate and so forcefull at the same time? Sighing he took the book and looked down at the title, a Malfoy always knew when a beattle was lost and he also didn't want to sleep on the couch and if he wanted to keep his face he needed to get his hands on that tape and destroy it before someone sees it.

"So darling what is the next title?" Daria asked her husband.

"_**Flight of the Fat Lady**__" _he read sounding somewhat annoyed.

"Uhm…does any of you guys also get a strange feeling after hearing this?" Aractus asked while sorting the lists.

"You are not the only one Aractus." James said as he swallowed hard while the others nodded.

_**In no time at all, Defence Against the Dark Arts had become most people's favourite class.**_

Remus blushed at this.

_**Only Draco Malfoy and his gang of Slytherins had anything bad to say about Professor Lupin. **_

"Good that great-great-gandfather doesn't count in to much in the future." Said Reg to his brother who nodded.

"What do you mean by that?" Abraxas asked while looking at the twins.

"Well we don't know for sure your portrait tries to hold himself away from the family so we never saw you fully only a few times and well according to grandpa you don't dare to get near any family member since you said something bad about Sev's and Car's granddad and great-gandfather Lucius got really mad at you…" Reg started.

"…granddad said that he doesn't know what happened then great-grandma dragged him out and put silencio on the room and well after that when you saw great-grandfather Lucius you always cowered together in to a ball in your frame and started whimpering we really don't know what happened int hat hour, but it is nearly the same with great-grandaunt Bella, since a similar ocassion she didn't dare to leave her bedroom." Luci ended as everyone was now staring wide eyed at a totaly confused Lucius.

"_I knew that he had an unhealthy obsession with that boy and it will get only worse…" _Abraxas thought as he glared at Severus, but stopped as he noticed that Sal was looking at him with cold dark eyes, swallowing hard he started reading again.

_**"Look at the state of his robes," Malfoy would say in a loud whisper as Professor Lupin passed. "He dresses like our old house-elf." **_

_**But no one else cared that Professor Lupin's robes were patched and frayed. His next few lessons were just as interesting as the first. After Boggarts, they studied Red Caps, nasty little goblin-like creatures that lurked wherever there had been bloodshed, in the dungeons of castles and the portholes of deserted battlefields, waiting to bludgeon those who had got lost. From Red Caps they moved on to Kappas, creepy water-dwellers that looked like scaly monkeys, with webbed hands itching to strangle unwitting waders in their ponds. **_

_**Harry only wished he was as happy with some of his other classes. Worst of all was Potions. Snape was in a particularly vindictive mood these days, and no one was in any doubt why.**_

Severus turned to the two felines who nodded which made him groan.

_**The story of the Boggart assuming Snape's shape, and the way that Neville had dressed it in his grandmother's clothes, had travelled through the school like wildfire. Snape didn't seem to find it funny. **_

"My son will be murdered by his Potions Master." Frank whined hysterically.

_**His eyes flashed menacingly at the very mention of Professor Lupin's name, and he was bullying Neville worse than ever. **_

_**Harry was also growing to dread the hours he spent in Professor Trelawney's stifling tower room,**_

"Who wouldn't."

_**deciphering lop-sided shape and symbols, trying to ignore the way Professor Trelawney's enormous eyes filled with tears every time she looked at him. **_

_**He couldn't like Professor Trelawney, even though she was treated with respect bordering on reverence by many of the class. **_

_**Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown had taken to haunting Professor Trelawney's tower room at lunchtimes, and always returned with annoyingly superior looks on their faces, as though they knew things that the others didn't. They had also started using hushed voices whenever they spoke to Harry, as though he was on his deathbed. **_

_**Nobody really liked Care of Magical Creatures, which, after the action-packed first class, had become extremely dull. **_

"Poor Hagrid," said Lily sympathetically.

_**Hagrid seemed to have lost his confidence. They were now spending lesson after lesson learning how to look after Flobberworms, which had to be some of the most boring creatures in existence. **_

"I don't see why anyone would bother looking after them," muttered Sirius.

_**"Why would anyone bother looking after them?" said Ron,**_

"Oh no Ron is exactly like Sirius minus the sex carving!" Alice screamed.

"I'M NOT SEX CARVING!" Sirius yelled, but then he noticed that everione was admiring the ceiling. "HEY ANSWER ME!"

**after yet another hour of poking shredded lettuce down the Flobberworms' slimy throats. **

**At the start of October, however, Harry had something else to occupy him, something so enjoyable it made up for his unsatisfactory classes. **

"Quidditch!" exclaimed James and his father excitedly, causing the others to roll thier eyes.

_**The Quidditch season was approaching, and Oliver Wood, captain of the Gryffindor team, called a meeting one Thursday evening to discuss tactics for the new season. **_

_**There were seven people on a Quidditch team: three Chasers, whose job it was to score goals by putting the Quaffle (a red, football-sized ball)**_

"What are…"

"Football is a rather liked Muggle sport where both teams are made up by eleven players and those try to kick a black-white ball in the opponents gate so that the person who is similar to the keeper in Quidditch doesn't get itt, well this is the main basic." Luci explained.

"Just how do you know that?" Jameas asked.

"Aunt Willow, uncle Al's wife and Ro's mom teaches Muggle Studies and she often makes class trips int o the Muggle-world." Reg explained.

"Aha nice to know…"

_**through one of the fifty-foot-high hoops at each end of the pitch; two Beaters, who were equipped with heavy bats to repel the Bludgers (two heavy black balls which zoomed around trying to attack the players); a Keeper, who defended the goalposts, and the Seeker, who had the hardest job of all, that of catching the Golden Snitch, a tiny, winged, walnut-sized ball, whose capture ended the game and earned the Seeker's team an extra one hundred and fifty points. **_

_**Oliver Wood was a burly seventeen-year-old, now in his seventh and final year at Hogwarts. There was a quiet sort of desperation in his voice as he addressed his six fellow team members in the chilly changing rooms on the edge of the darkening Quidditch pitch. **_

_**"This is our last chance- **__**my**__** last chance- to win the Quidditch Cup," he told them, striding up and down in front of them. "I'll be leaving at the end of this year. I'll never get another shot at it." **_

_**"Gryffindor haven't won for seven years now.**_

"WHAT!" Alphonse screamed in horror, making everyone jump.

"Ah erm…yes dad you see Slytherin won…" James said nervously while the Slytherin grinned and Alphonse let out a whine like sound.

_**OK, so we've had the worst luck in the world- injuries- then the tournament getting called off last year..." Wood swallowed, as though the memory still brought a lump to his throat. "But we also know we've got the **__**best - ruddy - team - in - the - school,**__**" he said, punching a fist into his other hand, the old manic glint back in his eye. **_

_**"We've got three **__**superb**__** Chasers." Wood pointed at Alicia Spinnet, Angelina Johnson and Katie Bell. "We've got two **__**unbeatable**__** Beaters." **_

_**"Stop it, Oliver, you're embarrassing us," said Fred and George Weasley together, pretending to blush. **_

_**"And we've got a Seeker who has **__**never failed to win us a match!**__**" Wood rumbled, glaring at Harry with a kind of furious pride. **_

Both James and Alphonse beamed in pride while Abraxas eyed his again gloomy son with suspicion.

_**"And me," he added, as an afterthought. **_

_**"We think you're very good, too, Oliver," said George. **_

_**"Cracking Keeper," said Fred. **_

_**"The point is," Wood went on, resuming his pacing, "the Quidditch Cup should have had our name on it these last two years. Ever since Harry joined the team, **_

_**I've thought the thing was in the bag. But we haven't got it, and this year's the last chance we'll get to finally see our name on the thing..." **_

_**Wood spoke so dejectedly that even Fred and George looked sympathetic. **_

_**"Oliver, this year's our year," said Fred. **_

_**"We'll do it, Oliver!" said Angelina. **_

_**"Definitely," said Harry. **_

_**Full of determination, the team started training sessions, three evenings a week. The weather was getting colder and wetter, the nights darker, but no amount of mud, wind or rain could tarnish Harry's wonderful vision of finally winning the huge silver Quidditch Cup. **_

Everyone edged away carefully from the two Potter males.

_**Harry returned to the Gryffindor common room one evening after training, cold and stiff but pleased with the way practice had gone, to find the room buzzing excitedly. **_

_**"What's happened?" he asked Ron and Hermione, who were sitting in two of the best chairs by the fireside and completing some star charts for Astronomy. **_

_**"First Hogsmeade weekend," said Ron, pointing at a notice that had appeared on the battered old notice-board. "End of October. Hallowe'en." **_

_**"Excellent," said Fred, who had followed Harry through the portrait hole. "I need to visit Zonko's, I'm nearly out of Stink Pellets." **_

They all chuckled.

_**Harry threw himself into a chair beside Ron, his high spirits ebbing away. Hermione seemed to read his mind. **_

_**"Harry, I'm sure you'll be able to go next time,"she said. "They're bound to catch Black soon, he's been sighted once already." **_

_**"Black's not fool enough to try anything in Hogsmeade," said Ron. "Ask McGonagall if you can go this time, Harry, the next one might not be for ages -" **_

At this mst people in the room stared saddly at the book or were glaring at the Dursleys and even thought she was scared Petunia felt guilty for doing this to her nephew and there was an other feeling, a strange feeling of understanding she was surrounded here by people from which most of them her sister called her friends it was in a way that she had a little chance seeing something from her sister's world which she wasn't allowed to see. Unknown to Petunia was a black panther reading her feeling.

_**"**__**Ron**__**!" said Hermione. "Harry's supposed to **__**stay in school**__**-" **_

_**"He can't be the only third-year left behind," said Ron. **_

_**"Ask McGonagall, go on, Harry-" **_

_**"Yeah, I think I will," said Harry, making up his mind. **_

_**Hermione opened her mouth to argue, but at that moment Crookshanks leapt lightly onto her lap. A large, dead spider was dangling from his mouth. **_

Sal gave out a little panicked sound which made everyone look at his direction.

"He hates spiders since Hagrid took him out int he Firbidded forest when he was two to met Aragog." Luci told them.

"Dad said that he and uncle Al together three other of our teachers with Sal's and Car's dad needed to hold aunt Devona back from murdering Hagrid." Reg said grinning.

"Hagrid and his idea from what animal a child could like to met." Molly said while the other girls nodded.

"In this comes he then after his second names shake." James said.

"What do you mean?" Allana asked her son.

"Well Slytherin doesn't like spiders erm…since Gryffindor accidentaly set a few hundred of Aractomulas loose in the castle…" said James.

_**"Does he have to eat that in front of us?" said Ron, scowling. **_

_**"Clever Crookshanks, did you catch that all by yourself?" said Hermione. **_

_**Crookshanks slowly chewed up the spider, his yellow eye fixed insolently on Ron. **_

The panther started shivering.

_**"Just keep him over there, that's all," said Ron irritably, turning back to his star chart. "I've got Scabbers asleep in my bag." **_

_**Harry yawned. He really wanted to go to bed, but he still had his own star chart to complete. He pulled his bag towards him, took out parchment, ink and quill, and started work. **_

_**"You can copy mine, if you like," said Ron, labelling his last star with a flourish and shoving the chart towards Harry. **_

_**Hermione, who disapproved of copying, pursed her lips, but didn't say anything. **_

_**Crookshanks was still staring unblinkingly at Ron, flicking the end of his bushy tail. Then, without warning, he pounced. **_

Peter squeked in fright.

_**"OY!" Ron roared, seizing his bag, as Crookshanks sank four sets of claws deeply into it, and began tearing ferociously. "GET OFF, YOU STUPID ANIMAL!" **_

"Hmm…don't you think that Hermione's cat is acting even for a cat ont he hunt to strange?" Daria asked.

"I quiet agree with you dear that cat is acting strange." Allana agreed while Druella nodded.

_**Ron tried to pull the bag away from Crookshanks, but Crookshanks clung on, spitting and slashing. **_

_**"Ron, don't hurt him!" squealed Hermione. **_

_**The whole common room was watching; Ron whirled the bag around, Crookshanks still clinging to it, and Scabbers came flying out of the top- **_

_**"CATCH THAT CAT!" Ron yelled, as Crookshanks freed himself from the remnants of the bag, sprang over the table and chased after the terrified Scabbers. **_

_**George Weasley made a lunge for Crookshanks but missed; Scabbers streaked through twenty pairs of legs and shot beneath an old chest of drawers. **_

_**Crookshanks skidded to a halt, crouched low on his bandy legs and started making furious swipes beneath the chest of drawers with his front paw. **_

_**Ron and Hermione hurried over; Hermione grabbed Crookshanks around the middle and heaved him away; Ron threw himself onto his stomach and, with great difficulty, pulled Scabbers out by the tail. **_

_**"Look at him!" he said furiously to Hermione, dangling Scabbers in front of her. "He's skin and bone! You keep that cat away from him!" **_

_**"Crookshanks doesn't understand it's wrong," said Hermione, her voice shaking. "All cats chase rats, Ron!" **_

"Yes, but he seems to eager to catch Scrabbers." Druella said and everyone was staring confused at the book, what could this mean?

_**"There's something funny about that animal!"**_

"We agree." Said everyone in union.

_**said Ron, who was trying to persuade a frantically wriggling Scabbers back into his pocket. "It heard me say that Scabbers was in my bag!" **_

"He could be part kneazle." Said Andromeda suddenly.

_**"Oh, what rubbish," said Hermione impatiently. "Crookshanks could smell him, Ron, how else d'you think-" **_

_**"That cat's got it in for Scabbers!" said Ron, ignoring the people around him, who were starting to giggle. **_

"Ron…" Arthur said while most of the others were thrying not to laugh.

"This sounded soo wrong." Bellatrix said while grinning.

_**"And Scabbers was here first, and he's ill!" **_

_**Ron marched through the common room and out of sight up the stairs to the boys' dormitories. **_

_**Ron was still in a bad mood with Hermione next day. He barely talked to her all through Herbology, even though he, Harry and Hermione were working together on the same Puffapod. **_

_**"How's Scabbers?" Hermione asked timidly, as they stripped fat pink pods from the plants and emptied the shining beans into a wooden pail. **_

_**"He's hiding at the bottom of my bed, shaking," said Ron angrily, missing the pail and scattering beans over the greenhouse floor. **_

_**"Careful, Weasley, careful!" cried Professor Sprout, as the beans burst into bloom before their very eyes. **_

_**They has Transfiguration next. **_

_**Harry, who had resolved to ask Professor McGonagall after the lesson whether he could go into Hogsmeade with the rest, joined the queue outside the classroom, trying to decide how he was going to argue his case. **_

_**He was distracted, however, by a disturbance at the front of the line. **_

_**Lavender Brown seemed to be crying. Parvati had her arm around her, and was explaining something to Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas, who were looking very serious. **_

_**"What's the matter, Lavender?" said Hermione anxiously, as she, Harry and Ron went to join the group. **_

_**"She got a letter from home this morning," Parvati whispered. "It's her rabbit, Binky. He's been killed by a fox." **_

_**"Oh," said Hermione. "I'm sorry, Lavender." **_

_**"I should have known!" said Lavender tragically. "You know what day it is?" **_

_**"Er-" **_

_**"The sixteenth of October! 'That thing you're dreading, it will happen on the sixteenth of October!' Remember? She was right, she was right!" **_

"She's talkiong about Trelawney, right?" asked Sirius while the other kids stared gapping at the book. "WE ARE DOOMED!"

_**The whole class was gathered around Lavender now. Seamus shook his head seriously. Hermione hesitated; then said, "You- you were dreading Binky being killed by a fox?" **_

_**"Well, not necessarily by a fox," said Lavender, looking up at Hermione with streaming eyes, "but I was obviously dreading him dying, wasn't I?" **_

"Poor Lavender," said Lily.

_**"Oh," said Hermione. She paused again. Then- **_

_**"Was Binky an old rabbit?" **_

_**"N-no!" sobbed Lavender. "H-he was only a baby!" **_

_**Parvati tightened her arm around Lavender's shoulders. **_

_**"But then, why would you dread him dying?" said Hermione.**_

_**Parvati glared at her. **_

_**"Well, look at it logically," said Hermione, turning to the rest of the group. "I mean, Binky didn't even die today, did he, Lavender just got the news today-" Lavender wailed loudly "-and she can't have been dreading it, because it's come as a real shock-" **_

"Darling that will lead you to no where." Allan said softly.

_**"Don't mind Hermione, Lavender," said Ron loudly, "she doesn't think other people's pets matter very much." **_

_**Professor McGonagall opened the classroom door at that moment, which was perhaps lucky; Ron and Hermione were looking daggers at each other, and when they got into class, they seated themselves either side of Harry, and didn't talk to each other all lesson. **_

"Looks like the boy is sitting between two fires." Abraxas commented.

_**Harry still hadn't decided what he was going to say to Professor McGonagall when the bell rang at the end of the lesson, but it was she who brought up the subject of Hogsmeade first. **_

_**"One moment, please!" she called, as the class made to leave. "As you're all in my house, you should hand Hogsmeade permission forms to me before Hallowe'en. No form, no visiting the village, so don't forget." **_

_**Neville put up his hand. "Please, professor, I- I think I've lost-" **_

_**"Your grandmother sent yours to me directly, Longbottom," said Professor McGonagall. "She seemed to think it was safer. Well, that's all, you may leave." **_

_**"Ask her now," Ron hissed at Harry. **_

_**"Oh, but-" Hermione began. **_

_**"Go for it, Harry," said Ron stubbornly. **_

_**Harry waited for the rest of the class to disappear, then headed nervously for Professor McGonagall's desk. **_

_**"Yes, Potter?" **_

_**Harry took a deep breath. **_

_**"Professor, my aunt and uncle- er- forgot to sign my form," he said. **_

_**Professor McGonagall looked over her square spectacles at him, but didn't say anything. **_

_**"So- er- d'you think it would be all right - I mean, will it be OK if I - if I go to Hogsmeade?" **_

_**Professor McGonagall looked down and began shuffling papers on her desk. **_

_**"I'm afraid not, Potter," she said. "You heard what I said. No form, no visiting the village. That's the rule." **_

"It's a stupid rule," muttered Siirus.

_**"But- Professor, my aunt and uncle - you know, they're Muggles, they don't really understand about- about Hogwarts forms and stuff," Harry said, while Ron egged him on with vigorous nods. "If you said I could go-" **_

_**"But I don't say so," said Professor McGonagall, standing up and piling her papers neatly into a drawer. "The form clearly states that the parent or guardian must give permission." **_

Everyone groaned at this.

_**She turned to look at him, with an odd expression on her face. Was it pity? **_

_**"I'm sorry, Potter, but that's my final word. You had better hurry, or you'll be late for your next lesson." **_

_**There was nothing to be done. Ron called Professor McGonagall a lot of names that greatly annoyed**_

"RON ALD WEASLEY!" Molly shreaked so everyone missed the growl the two felines let out.

_**Hermione; Hermione assumed an 'all for the best' expression that made Ron even angrier, and Harry had to endure everyone in the class talking loudly and happily about what they were going to do first, once they got into Hogsmeade. **_

_**"There's always the feast," said Ron, in an effort to cheer Harry up. "You know, the Hallowe'en feast, in the evening." **_

_**"Yeah," said Harry, gloomily, "great." **_

_**The Hallowe'en feast was always good, but it would taste a lot better if he was coming to it after a day in Hogsmeade with everyone else. Nothing anyone said made him feel any better about being left behind. Dean Thomas, who was good with a quill, had offered to forge Uncle Vernon's signature on the form, but as Harry had already told Professor Mcgonagall, he hadn't had it signed, that was no good. **_

_**Ron half-heartedly suggested the Invisibility Cloak, but Hermione stamped on that one, reminding Ron what Dumbledore had told them about the Dementors being able to see through them. **_

_**Percy had what were possibly the least helpful words of comfort. **_

_**"They make a fuss about Hogsmeade, but I assure you, Harry, it's not all it's cracked up to be," he said seriously. "All right, the sweetshop's rather good, but Zonko's Joke Shop's frankly dangerous, and yes, the Shrieking Shack's always worth a visit, but really, Harry, apart from that, you're not missing anything." **_

"I'm sure you've cheered him up wonderfully," said Remus sarcastically.

_**On Hallowe'en morning, Harry awoke with the rest and went down to breakfast feeling thoroughly depressed, though doing his best to act normally. **_

"Poor Harry," sighed Lily.

"I know how he feels." Severus said sighing as Lucius returned to his "hug our friend and don't let go" phase.

"Oh right even if you live by the Malfoy's they are not your legal guardians." James said.

"Not that we haven't aplied for it." Daria said making some of the others gap and her son hug her in happiness before returning to Severus.

"How did she get you to do that?" Cygnus whispered to Abraxas.

"She threatened me with no sex for three months…" he answered.

_**"We'll bring you lots of sweets back from Honeydukes," said Hermione, looking desperately sorry for him. **_

_**"Yeah, loads," said Ron. He and Hermione had finally forgotten their squabble about Crookshanks in the face of Harry's disappointment. **_

_**"Don't worry about me," said Harry, in what he hoped was an offhand voice. "I'll see you at the feast. Have a good time." **_

_**He accompanied them to the Entrance Hall, where Filch, the caretaker, was standing inside the front doors, checking off names against a long list, peering suspiciously into every face, and making sure no one was sneaking out who shouldn't be going. **_

_**"Staying here, Potter?" shouted Malfoy, who was standing with Crabbe and Goyle. "Scared of passing the Dementors?" **_

Abraxas groaned on the inside as he felt his families plus future daughter-in-law's death glares on him.

_**Harry ignored him and made his solitary way up the marble staircase, through the deserted corridors, and back to Gryffindor Tower. **_

_**"Password?" said the Fat Lady, jerking out of a doze. **_

_**"Fortuna Major," said Harry listlessly. **_

_**The portrait swung open and he climbed through the hole into the common room. It was full of chattering first- and second-years, and a few older students who had obviously visited Hogsmeade so often the novelty had worn off. **_

_**"Harry! Harry! Hi, Harry!" **_

"Merlin, please not Colin Creevy again…" James said groaning.

_**It was Colin Creevey, a second-year who was deeply in awe of Harry and never missed an opportunity to speak to him. **_

_**"Aren't you going to Hogsmeade, Harry? Why not? Hey-" Colin looked eagerly around at his friends, "you can come and sit with us, if you like, Harry!" **_

_**"Er- no thanks, Colin," said Harry, who wasn't in the mood to have a lot of people stare avidly at the scar on his forehead. "I- I've got to go to the library, got to get some work done." **_

_**After that, he had no choice but to turn right around and head back out of the portrait hole again. **_

_**"What was the point of waking me up?" the Fat Lady called grumpily after him as he walked away. **_

They all laughed.

_**Harry wandered dispiritedly towards the library, but halfway there he changed his mind; he didn't feel like working. He turned around and came face to face with Filch, who had obviously just seen off the last of the Hogsmeade visitors. **_

_**"What are you doing?" Filch snarled suspiciously. **_

_**"Nothing," said Harry truthfully. **_

_**"Nothing!" spat Filch, his jowls quivering unpleasantly. "A likely story! Sneaking around on your own, why aren't you in Hogsmeade buying Stink Pellets and Belch Powder and Whizzing Worms like the rest of your nasty little friends?" **_

"Because he's not allowed to!" exclaimed James.

_**Harry shrugged. **_

_**"Well, get back to your common room where you belong!" snapped Filch, and he stood glaring until Harry had passed out of sight. **_

_**But Harry didn't go back to the common room; he climbed a staircase, thinking vaguely of visiting the Owlery to see Hedwig, and was walking along another corridor when a voice from inside one of the rooms said, "Harry?" **_

_**Harry doubled back to see who had spoken and met Professor Lupin, looking around his office door. **_

"Great Harry can stay by Moony." James said smiling.

_**"What are you doing?" said Lupin, in a very different voice from Filch. "Where are Ron and Hermione?" **_

_**"Hogsmeade," said Harry, in a would-be casual voice. **_

_**"Ah," said Lupin. He considered Harry for a moment. "Why don't you come in? I've just taken a delivery of a Grindylow for our next lesson." **_

_**"A what?" said Harry. **_

_**He followed Lupin into his office. In the corner stood a very large tank of water. A sickly-green creature with sharp little horns had its face pressed against the glass, pulling faces and flexing its long, spindly fingers. **_

Peter shuddered.

_**"Water demon," said Lupin, surveying the grindylow thoughtfully. "We shouldn't have much difficulty with him, not after the Kappas. The trick is to break his grip. You notice the abnormally long fingers? Strong, but very brittle." **_

"In other words for a werewolf no problem." Sirius said smiling while Remus blushed.

_**The grindylow bared its green teeth and then buried itself in a tangle of weeds in the corner. **_

_**"Cup of tea?" Lupin said, looking around for his kettle. "I was just thinking of making one." **_

_**"All right," said Harry awkwardly. **_

_**Lupin tapped the kettle with his wand and a blast of steam issued suddenly from the spout. **_

_**"Sit down," said Lupin, taking the lid off a dusty tin. "I've only got teabags, I'm afraid- but I daresay you've had enough of tea leaves?" **_

_**Harry looked at him. Lupin's eyes were twinkling. **_

_**"How did you know about that?" Harry asked. **_

_**"Professor McGonagall told me," said Lupin, passing Harry a chipped mug of tea. "You're not worried, are you?" **_

_**"No," said Harry. **_

_**He thought for a moment of telling Lupin about the dog he'd seen in Magnolia Crescent, but decided not to. He didn't want Lupin to think he was a coward, especially since Lupin already seemed to think he couldn't cope with a Boggart. **_

"I don't think you're a coward, Harry" said Remus.

_**Something of Harry's thoughts seemed to have shown on his face, because Lupin said, "Anything worrying you, Harry?" **_

_**"No," Harry lied. **_

_**He drank a bit of tea and watched the grindylow brandishing a fist at him. "Yes," he said suddenly, putting his tea down on Lupin's desk. "You know that day we fought the Boggart?" **_

_**"Yes," said Lupin slowly. **_

_**"Why didn't you let me fight it?" said Harry abruptly. **_

_**Lupin raised his eyebrows. **_

_**"I would have thought that was obvious, Harry," he said, sounding surprised. **_

_**Harry, who had expected Lupin to deny that he'd done any such thing, was taken aback. **_

_**"Why?" he said again. **_

_**"Well," said Lupin, frowning slightly. "I assumed that if the Boggart faced you, it would assume the shape of Lord Voldemort." **_

_**Harry stared. Not only was this the last answer he'd expected, but Lupin had said Voldemort's name. **_

"It is only a name." James said while most of the parents suddered.

_**The only person Harry had ever heard say the name aloud (apart from himself) was Professor Dumbledore. **_

_**"Clearly, I was wrong," said Lupin, still frowning at Harry. "But I didn't think it a good idea for Lord Voldemort to materialise in the staff room. I imagined that people would panic." **_

"Yes back then would that been pure chaos, by us something to laugh about." Carity chimmed ina s everyone stared at her wide eyed.

"Does that…"

"Read the books." Was her only answer.

_**"I did think of Voldemort first," said Harry honestly. "But then I- I remembered those Dementors." **_

_**"I see," said Lupin thoughtfully. "Well, well... I'm impressed." He smiled slightly at the look of surprise on Harry's face. "That suggests that what you fear most of all is- fear. Very wise, Harry." **_

_**Harry didn't know what to say to that, so he drank some more tea. **_

_**"So you've been thinking that I didn't believe you capable of fighting the Boggart?" said Lupin shrewdly. **_

_**"Well... yeah," said Harry. He was suddenly feeling a lot happier. **_

_**"Professor Lupin, you know the Dementors-" **_

_**He was interrupted by a knock on the door. **_

_**"Come in," called Lupin. **_

_**The door opened, and in came Snape. **_

"What are you doing there?" James asked Severus who only shrugged.

_**He was carrying a goblet, which was smoking faintly, and stopped at the sight of Harry, his black eyes narrowing. **_

_**"Ah, Severus," said Lupin smiling. "Thanks very much. Could you leave it here on the desk for me?" **_

_**Snape set the smoking goblet down, his eyes wandering between Harry and Lupin. **_

_**"I was just showing Harry my grindylow," said Lupin pleasantly, pointing at the tank. **_

_**"Fascinating," said Snape, without looking at it. "You should drink that directly, Lupin." **_

_**"Yes, yes, I will," said Lupin. **_

_**"I made an entire cauldronful," Snape continued. "If you need more." **_

_**"I should probably take some again tomorrow. Thanks very much, Severus." **_

_**"Not at all," said Snape, but there was a look in his eye Harry didn't like. He backed out of the room, unsmiling and watchful. **_

_**Harry looked curiously at the goblet. Lupin smiled. **_

_**"Professor Snape had very kindly concocted a potion for me," he said. "I have never been much of a potion-brewer and this one is particularly complex." **_

"That is true." Remus said.

"Wait…could this be the Wolfsbane potion I'm working on?" Severus asked as he looked over to Carity who was still in her human form.

"Yes mom is still trying to perfection it so that it fully stops the transformation." She answered.

"Your mother is really in to this." Lily said.

"Yes in her second year she made a potion which would allow the drinker to be able to see the Thestrals for twenty-four hours and Sal is at the moment working on a potion which could heal dragon pox int he last stadium." Carity said proudly.

"Wow…definiately your blood Severus…" James said truly amazed.

_**He picked up the goblet and sniffed it. "Pity sugar makes it useless," he added, taking a sip and shuddering. **_

_**"Why-?" Harry began. Lupin looked at him and answered the unfinished question. **_

_**"I've been feeling a little off-colour," he said.**_

"Moony, just call it furry-little-problem like we always do." Sirius said.

_**"This potion is the only thing that helps. I am very lucky to be working alongside Professor Snape; there aren't many wizards who are up to making it." **_

_**Professor Lupin took another sip and Harry had a mad urge to knock the goblet out of his hands. **_

"How sweet," said Remus as he turned to Seveus. "Harry thinks that you are trying to poison me!"

"Yes really sweet…" Severus grombled.

_**"Professor Snape's very interested in the Dark Arts," he blurted out. **_

_**"Really?" said Lupin, looking only mildly interested as he took another gulp of potion. **_

_**"Some people reckon-" Harry hesitated, then plunged recklessly on, "some people reckon he'd do anything to get the Defence Against the Dark Arts job."**_

_**Lupin drained the goblet and pulled a face. **_

_**"Disgusting," he said. "Well, Harry, I'd better get back to work. I'll see you at the feast later." **_

_**"Right," said Harry, putting his empty teacup down. **_

_**The empty goblet was still smoking. **_

_**"There you go," said Ron. "We got as much as we could carry." **_

_**A shower of brilliantly coloured sweets fell onto Harry's lap. **_

"What wonderful friends you have, Harry," sighed Lily.

_**It was dusk, and Ron and Hermione had just turned up in the common room, pink-faced from the cold wind looking as though they'd had the time of their lives. **_

_**"Thanks," said Harry, picking up a packet of tiny black Pepper Imps. "What's Hogsmeade like? Where did you go?" **_

_**By the sound of it - everywhere. Dervish and Banges, the wizarding equipment shop, Zonko's joke shop, into the Three Broomsticks for foaming mugs of hot Butterbeer and many places besides. **_

_**"The post office, Harry! About two hundred owls, all sitting on shelves, all colour-coded depending on how fast you want your letter to get there!" **_

_**"Honeydukes have got a new kind of fudge, they were giving out free samples, there's a bit, look-" **_

_**"We **__**think**__** we saw an ogre, honestly, they get all sorts at the Three Broomsticks-" **_

_**"Wish we could have brought you some Butterbeer, really warms you up-" **_

_**"What did you do?" said Hermione, looking anxious. "Did you get any work done?" **_

_**"No," said Harry. "Lupin made me a cup of tea in his office. And then Snape came in..." **_

_**He told them all about the goblet. Ron's mouth fell open. **_

_**"**__**Lupin drank it?**__**" he gasped. "Is he mad?" **_

"How lovely…" Severus said sarcastically as he felt a familiar weight leaning on him again.

It seemed as if Lucius would be reacting the same way again when he spent to much time near his father in other words he wants to be near someone by who feels in a way protected and welcome and this person would be usualy Severus. Since he moved in to Malfoy Manor would Lucius use the door which bound they bedrooms together and ask Severus if he could sleep by him which would usualy end with Severus waking up with the blond cuddled up in his arms sleeping peacefully, to be honest that startled him by the start, but after the third night he didn't care it wasn't as if he and Lucius would be lovers, oh no Seveus would never bring they friendship in to danger so was he truly happy when Lucius told him on a stormy night when both sat cuddled up together under a warm blankit by the window that the two of them were brothers now and no one could change that fact or tear them away from each other.

_**Hermione checked her watch. **_

_**"We'd better go down, you know, the feast'll be starting in five minutes..." They hurried through the portrait hole and into the crowd, still discussing Snape. **_

_**"But if he- you know-" Hermione dropped her voice, glancing nervously around, "if he was trying to- to poison Lupin- he wouldn't have done it in front of Harry." **_

Everyone nodded.

_**"Yeah, maybe," said Harry, as they reached the Entrance Hall and crossed into the Great Hall. It had been decorated with hundreds and hundreds of candle-filled pumpkins, a cloud of fluttering live bats and many flaming orange streamers, which were swimming lazily across the stormy ceiling like brilliant watersnakes. **_

_**The food was delicious; even Hermione and Ron, who were full to bursting with Honeydukes sweets, managed second helpings of everything. Harry kept glancing at the staff table. Professor Lupin looked cheerful and as well as he ever did; he was talking animatedly to tiny little Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher. **_

_**Harry moved his eyes along the table, to the place where Snape sat. Was he imagining it, or were Snape's eyes flickering towards Lupin more often than was natural? **_

"Uhm…either you are agai nin a I hate you fo the past mod or the worse fact that it is near the fullmoon…" Remus said a bit worriedly, buta t the same time he was a bit relieved that even int hat time in which Severus hated him that he would still be there to help him.

_**The feast finished with an entertainment provided by the Hogwarts ghosts. They popped out of the walls and tables to do a spot of formation gliding; Nearly Headless Nick, the Gryffindor ghost, had a great success with a re-enactment of his own botched beheading. **_

"He did that for us a couple of years ago," said James. "That was fun."

_**It had been such a good evening that Harry's good mood couldn't even be spoiled by Malfoy, who shouted through the crowd as they all left the Hall, "The Dementors send their love, Potter!" **_

"Grandpa was right with saying whn we started reading the books that we should be not surpraised that he and great-grandfather Lucius were total gits back then." Reg said as he looked at his twin, he was actually the main ground why they grandfather told them this, he didn't want his grandson to feel ashamed for his names.

"At least that is good to hear." Said Daria as she glared at Abraxas.

_**Harry, Ron and Hermione followed the rest of the Gryffindors along the usual path to Gryffindor Tower, but when they reached the corridor which ended with the portrait of the Fat Lady, they found it jammed with students. **_

_**"Why isn't anyone going in?" said Ron curiously. **_

_**Harry peered over the heads in front of him. The portrait seemed to be closed. **_

_**"Let me through, please," came Percy's voice, and he came bustling importantly through the crowd. "What's the hold-up here? You can't all have forgotten the password- excuse me, I'm Head Boy-" **_

_**And then a silence fell over the crowd, from the front first, so that a chill seemed to spread down the corridor. They heard Percy say, in a suddenly sharp voice, "Somebody get Professor Dumbledore. Quick." **_

"What happened?" asked a worried Lily as Abraxas paled a bit.

_**People's heads turned; those at the back were standing on tip-toe. **_

_**"What's going on?" said Ginny, who had just arrived. **_

_**Next moment, Professor Dumbledore was there, sweeping towards the portrait; the Gryffindors squeezed together to let him through, and Harry, Ron and Hermione moved closer to see what the trouble was. **_

_**"Oh, my-" Hermione exclaimed and grabbed Harry's arm. **_

_**The Fat Lady had vanished from her portrait, which had been slashed so viciously that strips of canvas littered the floor; great chunks of it had been torn away completely. **_

Everyone gasped in horror at this, something like this has never happened before.

_**"We need to find her," said Dumbledore. "Professor McGonagall, please go to Mr. Filch at once and tell him to search every painting in the castle for the Fat Lady." **_

_**"You'll be lucky!" said a cackling voice. **_

_**It was Peeves the Poltergeist, bobbing over the crowd and looking delighted, as he always did, at the sight of wreckage or worry. **_

_**"What do you mean, Peeves?" said Dumbledore calmly, and Peeves's grin faded a little. He didn't dare taunt Dumbledore. Instead, he adopted this oily voice that was no better than his cackle. **_

_**"Ashamed, Your Headship, sir. Doesn't want to be seen. She's a horrible mess. Saw her running through the landscape up on the fourth floor, sir, dodging between the trees. Crying something dreadful," he said happily. **__._

_**"Did she say who did it?" said Dumbledore quietly. **_

_**"Oh, yes, Professorhead," said Peeves, with the air of one cradling a large bombshell in his arms. "He got very angry when she wouldn't let him in, you see." Peeves flipped over, and grinned at Dumbledore from between his own legs. "Nasty temper he's got,**_

Abraxas suddenly looked up and looked at Sirius with a smile on his lips.

"Wel, well so there is really Black blood in your vains." He said before ending the last sentence.

_**that Sirius Black." **_

At this stared everyone wide eyed at a gapping Sirius.

"M…me, bu…but how could I…" he said in a shaking tone.

No one answered as suddenly Sal took his human form again, looking at him everyone suddenly heard a strange 'popping' noise just like when someone Aparates.

"I think the answer to the question as to what to do has just been delivered to us." Sal said with a grin on his pale lips as his sister and the twins also stood up making everyone face the door way as the sound of nearing footsteps hit they ears.

_To be continued… _

* * *

A/N: the next chapter will contain a nice sibling fight plus some Dumbledore bashing…


	10. Who is the grandmother part II

A/N: ok I need to set a little thing clear, the Aragog I mentioned in the last chapter is not the original, Hagrid got a new one and decided to name it Aragog and this was also he ground why he took Sal out in to the forst shortly after Aragog the II. become an adult…

X. Who is the grandmother part II, _Grim __defeat _

* * *

Everyone was staring at the door holding their breaths as the footsteps got louder till a man appeared in the doorway making everyone stare at him gaping, while the four teenagers allowed themselves a little smile. The man was in his early thirties, had messy black hair and from behind his round glasses shone emerald green, almond shaped eyes. The man wore black robes with silver snake patterns on the chest, cloak falling softly over his shoulders, hands gloved.

"Sev don't you think you or the twins overdid it a bit with breaking the door down?" the man asked looking a bit confused at the remains of the poor defenseless door.

"That was done by the adults when they heard the title Dementor." Charity explained as Alphonse, Abraxas and Cygnus blushed.

"Uhm…you…you are…" James started, but he was too shocked to continue.

"Erm…yes sorry I think I should have introduced myself first." The man said smiling in an apologizing way. "Professor Albus Severus Potter, Deputy Headmaster and Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher." He said bowing.

"Are you here because of the Ministry's decision uncle Al?" Reg asked before Sirius could comment on the snake pattern.

"Yes we are here because of that." He said confusing everyone.

"We?" Abraxas asked while looking around, but seeing no one other before turning back to the newcomer and looking him up and down. So this man should later become the best friend of his great-great-grandson.

"Yes." Al said as he held both his arms out, but as nothing happened he quickly took the cloak down and started looking around. "If you see a snake or a scorpion, don't panic!" Al said as everyone started looking around in panic till…

_AAAAAAHHHHHHH!!_

…come a rather female like scream from outside as suddenly the balcony door slid open and two people walked inside looking rather annoyed. One of them was immediately recognised by the rooms inhabitants as a Malfoy from his features. His long hair was tied back in a low ponytail with a red ribbon, his robes were in a way similar to that of Al, but his were a deep shade of crimson and the rimming on the chest was gold and his cloak was held together with a clip foming a roaring lion's head. The woman on the other hand had shoulder length black hair, shallow skin, a slightly hooked nose which made her in no way unattractive instead, she looked rather appealing to the men in the room with her black robes. Soon two other people came inside. A rather beautiful looking young woman with long golden hair dragging a purple haired man with her, who kept glancing nervously outside.

"So there you are." Al said suddenly relieved as he walked up, or in most peoples option run up, to the two people who had entered first before looking at the two behind them. "Teddy, Vic what are you two doing here?" he asked a bit confused.

"Sorry Al we noticed an Apparition and went to check it out." the Malfoy said.

"Well Al your bro…" Teddy started, but was interrupted as Al's gaze darkened, the two Potter boys were not on good terms with each other, mostly because James could never stop insulting Al's friends. Because of this, at the age of eighteen he moved in with Devona and Scorpius. The Lastrange Manor was suggested by the portrait of Scorpius' late grand-uncle Rodolphus.

"Where…" Al demanded.

"Follow the screams." Scorpius said grinning as Al stormed outside followed by the others only to stare gaping at the scene in front of them.

There in the snow was a man running like mad. The man had dark red hair they could tell but what actually shocked most people was that he was running from a Basilisk which had its eyes closed and an Oroburos.

"AL DON'T JUST STAND THERE, GET THESE OVERGROWN WORMS AWAY FROM ME!" the man screamed, but realized his mistake as both creatures lunged forth and missed him only by inches.

"Sure James…" Al said grinning.

"Ugh…he would have made a perfect Slytherin with that grin." Alphonse said while the others nodded.

"_Come forth my darlingssss and help your brothersss…"_Al hissed in Parseltongue as suddenly a gigantic seven headed snake rose from the snow and went after the man. "Thank you James for playing with them." He called smiling before turning to everyone. "So I think you should all introduce yourselves and Teddy your hair is purple again."

"What? Thanks Al." Teddy said as his hair color, become a sandy brown, making everyone gasp. Now he looked like an older version of Remus Lupin.

"You are a Metamorphmagus." Andromeda said stunned while holding her daughter.

"Yes, got that from my mother." He answered before introducing himself with a little bow. "Theodore Remus Lupin, Auror and beside me is my wife and also an Auror Victorie." Teddy said gesturing to the blond woman.

"Wow Moony, here you are totally freaked, that no girl would like you and your son gets a goddess." Sirius commented.

"Part veela would be more accurate." Victorie said smiling as everyone stared at her gaping. "As my husband already introduced me I'm Victorie Lupin, Weasley by maiden name." she said.

"You are one of my grandchildren?" Molly asked while beaming with happiness.

"Yes, one of the three who are at the moment here plus I'm the oldest, but I can't say more." Victorie answered.

"One of three who are here?" Arthur asked while the others were looking at Al.

"Well before someone asks, that over there is my older brother James Sirius." Al said while pointing at his still running brother. "He really should learn to leave you two alone."

"Well Al, actually this time he had something against Willow. Again." Scorpius commented.

"Is it again the fact that her last name was Dolohov? Really he is in Azkaban since the war and the only contact she had with him were those five Howlers. The first one when she got sorted in to Ravenclaw instead of Slytherin, the second when she got best friends with Rosie, the third when she started teaching Muggle Studies, the fourth by our engagement and the fifth by our wedding." Al ranted before a hand covered his mouth.

"Calm down Al we already took care of your brother as you can see." Scorpius commented to his friend who calmed down.

"My…grandchild…marry…Dolohov…family…snake…Parsletongue…" James muttered.

"Well then I think it is time that we introduce ourselves. Professor Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy, Transfigurations Master and Head of House of Gryffindor at your service." He said while bowing.

"Yes we should get this over with as I have some talk to do." said the woman in dark robes. "Professor Devona Eileen Snape, Potions Mistress and Head of Slytherin." She said as her dark eyes flashed at her daughter. "Charity would you please be so kind and come with me for a second young lady." She said and the girl flinched, her mother like her grandfather and her brother had the rare gift to be more intimidating while whispering then shouting.

"And not only does she have her father's dressing style, but now you could see what sort of atmosphere her father could create in a class." Luci whispered and everyone nodded.

"No wonder Neville is scared to death from you…" Frank whispered shuddering to Severus.

"But she is hot." Sirius commented.

"She is my daughter Black." Severus snapped, that guy would not hit on HIS daughter. To be honest he was rather impressed seeing her and to think that she would become a teacher, plus being Slytherin's Head like him made him proud in a way.

"Al, Scorpius, Vic and I will stay outside and keep an eye on James." Teddy said as the two men nodded before walking with the others inside.

After being inside the warm room again everyone sat down.

"So, Devona will inform Charity after she is done scolding her." At this Scorpius shivered, he got a few scoldings from her when they were little and later together with Al.

"Yes well then, the Ministry says that they can continue reading and after they finished the last book there will be a time reverse split creating out of this a parallel world." Al told them.

"Wow you can do that?" Remus asked.

"Yes you can do that according to Slytherin and till to this day there wasn't anything written in his books which disappointed me." Al said smiling.

"Al was since his fist year a rather big supporter for Slytherin and had rather much understanding for them and they families so he was rather soon liked by everyone." Scorpius said as his friend glared at him while blushing.

"Scorpius…" he said.

"What it is true I mean the war was over, but many people had still mixed feelings about Slytherin not that we blame them, but you didn't judge anyone because of they families you even gave my family a big chance plus managed that the four Houses are united again in understanding." Scorpius argued making everyone stare at them wide eyed.

"Yes that only took me all my seven Hogwarts years rather many big fight with James and uncle Ron, partly with grandfather Weasley, grandfather James and Sirius thought he hasn't commented that much when his mother told him to be still and let me speak." Al said.

"Wait my mother silenced me for you?" Sirius asked in disbelief.

"Yes, she is rather nice and it is always interesting talking to her." Al said as Sirius and Cygnus both made a dive after more chocolate while Druella rolled her eyes at them.

"So Albus…" James started, but hid immediately behind his father at the look his grandson was giving him.

"It is never good calling Al by his full first name." Scorpius chimed in sounding rather amused.

"I prefer Al or any form of Severus, expect that what you called him." with that he glared at both James and Sirius. "Don't understand me wrong I feel deep respect for both my namesakes, but in Professor Dumbledore's case is it both admiration and disgust. I admire him that he had so much courage to stand up against Voldemort with all his might as he did in front of Grindelwald even if his heart broke by doing that. "at this turned everyone an interesting shade of green when they finally understood what he meant.

"Wow our Headmaster was in love with Grindelwald." Rosier commented whistling.

"That was an information I REALLY didn't need to know." Aractus said while the others nodded violently.

"Well then Prongs, Padfoot, Frank here with those three hundred Galleons." Remus said grinning as the three boys handed him the Galleons grumpily while muttering something about "_so much about a safe bet"_.

"What was that about?" Lily asked stunned while Petunia was still staring at Al with wide eyes.

"We betted that old Dumbledore and Minnie have a thing for each other and Remus said no…" James explained as suddenly both Al and Scorpius broke out laughing together with the twins and Sal.

"That would never happen." Sal commented finally making Lucius look at him suspiciously.

"Uhm…Al, you also said that you are also disgusted by the Headmaster." Alice said suddenly.

"Yes, you will understand most of that after reading the last two books, but one part you have already read in the first book by the Halloween part." Al said his stone cold.

"You mean when Quirrell bust in saying that there was a troll in the dungeons and Dumbledore ordered the Perfects to take the students immediately back to they common rooms." Sirius said as the parents started gapping, but then Lily suddenly gasped in horror, hands shaking as her eyes widened.

"Oh Merlin…how could he…" she said, tone shaking.

"Lily what is wrong?" James asked her worriedly before her parents could react.

"James don't you remember the second book, the Slytherin common room is…HE WAS SENDING THEM DOWN TO THE TROLL!" she screamed as suddenly everyone paled as they suddenly remembered that the Slytherin ad they dorms down in the dungeons.

"THAT OLD BASTARD HE WAS SENDING THE CHILDREN DOWN TO A TROLL! HE WAS SENDING THEM TO THEY OWN DEATH!" Daria yelled in anger.

"I can't believe that Dumbledore acted so irresponsible they are Slytherin yes, but still children." Alphonse said in a shocked tone.

"When I get my hands on that man…" Allana growled.

"How could he be so awful?" Molly said with tears in her eyes as she imagined what that creature could have done to the defenseless children, the older students couldn't have protected themselves and all the younger ones at the same time.

"I knew that he favored Gryffindor, but that is really low." Sirius said in a disgusted tone feeling even more disgusted that he once nearly did a similar thing to Severus if James didn't have come.

"Yes, now you understand even Dumbledore didn't care about Slytherin." Al said angrily.

"That man…, I will certainly give him a piece of my mind later." Phineas's portrait said threateningly.

"Ok, but no need to worry Devs's dad told the Perfects to take the Slytherin up to the library instead." Scorpius told them to calm the group before they floo to Hogwarts and go berserk on the Headmaster, he would not try to explain that one to the Headmistress and the Minister.

"Severus you are wonderful." Narcissa said with tears streaming down her blue eyes as she hugged her friend not noticing the wistful looks her grandson and his friend giving them, but Lucius did.

Suddenly the balcony door opened again and both Devona and Charity stepped inside the later one looking a bit pale, but since they all witnessed her brother's temperament and that her mother had a deathly whisper no one was to stunned about that. Charity walked up to the twins and her brother while her mother seated herself between Al and Scorpius.

"You told them?" she asked and the two men nodded.

"A little question." At this turned everyone to Sirius who held his hand up like a student would do in class.

"Yes Sirius?" Al asked.

"Just asking Devona do you look more similar to your mother or your father?" at this broke both Al and Scorpius out in a hysterical laughing fit.

"Sorry Sirius, but according to grandfather Lucius and everyone other is Devs a female version of her father in both appearance and character." Scorpius finally managed to say and most males' jaws dropped at this.

"Hah I knew it that she reminded me on Severus." Lucius said triumphantly as Devona smiled at him, yes there was no day she didn't her godfather say _"You always remind me on your father that it hurts…" _even though he never said the last part to her out loud.

"Okey, it is decided then." Sirius said suddenly as he turned to a confused looking Severus as he grabbed both of his hands. "You will make immediately a gender changing potion and drink it and we go out." he said as Cygnus nearly chocked on his breath and everyone nearly yelled in shock at this expect Lucius who lunged forth and pulled a madly blushing Severus behind him, wand drawn.

"Hands of Sirius, don't even dare to touch him because he belongs to me." The blonde hissed and Abraxas immediately grabbed his heart and started praying that his son didn't mean his sentence like THAT!

"…"

"Cissa are you really sure that he is straight?" Bella whispered to her sister.

"Yes, why do you ask?"

"I'm doubting that…" said Andromeda from her other side as she watched the two men.

"Lucius…" the whining voice of his friend made the blond turn around.

"Yes Sev?"

"That sentence was so double meaning…" he said blushing as they suddenly heard the three adults chuckling.

"Never knew uncle Lucius acted like that already in that age." Al said chuckling.

"Dad still hasn't gotten fully over that camping-disaster as he calls it." Devona said smiling which made Sirius wimmer and Sal to glare at him with a "that-is-my-mother-so-hands-of" look.

"Uncle Lucius…." James asked suddenly shocked.

"Yes, grandfather told Al that he doesn't need to call him Mr. Malfoy as they met on a party in Malfoy Manor and suggested him that he can call him uncle if he wants." Scorpius explained.

"Sent uncle Ron in to a rather long cursing fit…" Al added.

"So, the two of them are still rather close in the future?" Daria asked smiling at which the future visitors nodded, but a strange grief hushed over they faces.

"I would say more likely we are all starting to doubt the fact about Lucius being straight." James commented.

"And before we go there, Sev please be so kind and take your sister and the twins back home, your grandparents will also have a word with you about this together with your friends who were also in this." Devona said as she threw a glance at Al.

"Uhm…sorry Dev." He said before hugging her.

"You adapted that rather quickly from Scorpius." She told him.

"If I want to live then it is better to stay on your good side." He said as Devona chuckled.

"Please as if I would murder you, you are not James." She said and the past Potters paled.

"We will go then." Sal said as he and the three others made they way to the balcony door.

"Dad, do we really need to go now?" Luci asked his father.

"Yes or you will be dragged home by great-grandmother Narcissa." Scorpius said and Narcissa blushed.

"Forget that I asked." Luci said a bit pale you don't want to get on your great-grandmother's bad side. "Oh and by the way great-grandfather is fully straight, he is only somewhat obsessive with Sal's and Car's grandfather." He added as Abraxas groaned.

"By the way, you will need to help him." Sal said as he gestured outside to the still running James.

"Yes sadly." Scorpius commented as the teachers went outside.

Watching them they saw that the three gigantic reptiles suddenly stopped and while the Oroburos and the Basilisk laid down the Naga moved its fourth head which opened its mouth sending a bluish beam out which opened a blue vortex where everyone walked through expect Devona, Scorpius and Al who returned to them while the Naga laid down by the other two reptiles.

"So, Nepthys has sent everyone back." Al commented before sitting down.

"Who?" Sirius asked.

"Nepthys is my familiar, she is the Naga from the three or Nagini, but I keep referring her by her name." Al said as he glanced at Devona.

"Aha…so she is a girl…"

"Yes Seth, Oroburos and Yami, Basilisk are both male."

"Okey and how exactly did you get those?" Aractus asked as he gestured to the three snakes.

"Well they are our familiars we found they eggs hidden in the Chamber of Secrets as we decided that it would become our little private spot." Scorpius said smiling fondly at the memories of all the things they did in the Chamber.

"But how can you control them?" Alice asked.

"Parseltongue." Al replied.

"Ok that goes for two of you." Remus said.

"Actually it goes for all three of us." Scorpius said.

"WHAT!" screamed everyone, but most of al the Malfoy part.

"We made a Triumvirate-spell with each other and so could Devona and I share the ability to talk to snakes with Scorpius." Al explained to the shocked people in the room.

"Wow…"

"So, do we know your mother?" Sirius asked again suddenly.

"Yes you know her Sirius, but I won't tell you her name." Devona said smirking.

"Don't worry I wouldn't try to get her away from your father." Sirius protested as Devona broke out laughing. "Did I say something funny?" he asked confused.

"No Sirius, but her mom would probably castrate you, skin you and then yell at you if you would try…" Scorpius said with an mused smirk as Sirius paled.

"Well then I think we should continue reading and then we will eat." Daria said suddenly as she handed the book over to Cygnus.

"Ok." answered everyone.

"The next title is, _**Grim **__**defeat"**_ Cygnus read and most of the children groaned.

"The titles start worsening again…" James said.

_**Professor Dumbledore sent all the Gryffindors back to the Great Hall, where they were joined ten minutes later by the students from Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin, who all looked extremely confused. **_

_**"The teachers and I need to conduct a thorough search of the castle," Professor Dumbledore told them as Professors McGonagall and Flitwick closed all the doors into the Hall. "I'm afraid that, for your own safety, you will have to spend the night here. I want the Prefects to stand guard over the entrances to the Hall and I am leaving the Head Boy and Girl in charge. **_

_**Any disturbance should be reported to me immediately," he added to Percy, who was looking immensely proud and important. "Send word with one of the ghosts." **_

_**Professor Dumbledore paused, about to leave the Hall, and said, "Oh, yes, you'll be needing..." **_

_**One casual wave of his wand and the long tables flew to the edges of the Hall and stood themselves against the walls; another wave, and the floor was covered with hundreds of squashy purple sleeping bags. **_

_**"Sleep well," said Professor Dumbledore, closing the door behind him. **_

"Now that is what I call a BIG sleepover party…" Alice said.

_**The Hall immediately began to buzz excitedly; the Gryffindors were telling the rest of the school what had just happened. **_

_**"Everyone into their sleeping bags!" shouted Percy. "Come on now, no more talking! Lights out in ten minutes!" **_

_**"C'mon," Ron said to Harry and Hermione; they seized three sleeping bags and dragged them into a corner. **_

_**"Do you think Black's still in the castle?" Hermione whispered anxiously. **_

"I'm not stupid," said Sirus, but he needed to notice that everyone was staring at the ceiling again. "Really funny everyone…" he mumbled in annoyance.

_**"Dumbledore obviously thinks he might be," said Ron. **_

_**"It's very lucky he picked tonight, you know," said Hermione, as they climbed fully dressed into their sleeping bags and propped themselves on their elbows to talk. "The one night we weren't in the Tower..." **_

_**" Reckon he's lost track of time, being on the run," said Ron. "Didn't realise it was Hallowe'en. Otherwise he'd have come bursting in here." **_

"I would not have come bursting into the Great Hall, really…" muttered Sirius.

"Yes that is true with every student there." James said.

_**Hermione shuddered. **_

_**All around them, people were asking each other the same question: "**__**How did he get in?" **_

_**"Maybe he knows how to Apparate," said a Ravenclaw a few feet away. "Just appear out of thin air, you know." **_

"You can't Apparate or Disapparate inside Hogwarts." said Remus as the adults nodded.

_**"Disguised himself, probably," said a Hufflepuff fifth-year. **_

_**"He could've flown in," suggested Dean Thomas. **_

_**"Honestly, am I the **__**only**__** person who's ever bothered to read **__**Hogwarts, A History?**__**" said Hermione crossly to Harry and Ron. **_

"Not since Rosie was born." Al said in a sing-song voice.

"Who?"

"My cousin Rose or fully Rose Weasley, she teaches Arithmancy and is Head of Ravenclaw." Al explained and Molly beamed with pride, she would have wonderful grandchildren, two Aurors and two teachers and she knew that there are probably more.

_**"Probably," said Ron. "Why?" **_

_**"Because the castle's protected by more than **__**walls**__**, you know," said Hermione. "There's all sorts of enchantments on it, to stop people entering by stealth. **_

"Which were made with a blood spell even stronger." Devona said. "We will explain that after the last book." She added before anyone could ask.

_**You can't just Apparate in here. and I'd like to see the disguise that could fool those Dementors. They're guarding every single entrance to the grounds. They'd have seen him fly in, too. And Filch knows all the secret passages, they'll have them covered..." **_

"Wana bet we know more of them?" Sirius asked.

"You would loose to us three." Scorpius said confusing everyone.

_**"The lights are going out now!" Percy shouted. "I want everyone in their sleeping bags and no more talking!" **_

_**The candles all went out at once. The only light now came from the silvery ghosts, who were drifting about talking seriously to the prefects, and the enchanted ceiling, which, like the sky outside, was scattered with stars. **_

_**What with that, and the whispering that still filled the Hall, Harry felt as though he was sleeping out of doors in a light wind. **_

_**Once every hour, a teacher would reappear in the Hall to check that everything was quiet. Around three in the morning, when many students had finally fallen asleep, Professor Dumbledore came in. **_

_**Harry watched him looking around for Percy, who had been prowling between sleeping bags, telling people off for talking. Percy was only a short way away from Harry, Ron and Hermione, who quickly pretended to be asleep as Dumbledore's footsteps drew nearer. **_

_**"Any sign of him, Professor?" asked Percy in a whisper. **_

_**"No. All well here?" **_

_**"Everything under control, sir." **_

_**"Good. There's no point moving them all now. I've found a temporary guardian for the Gryffindor portrait hole. You'll be able to move them back in tomorrow." **_

_**"And the Fat Lady, sir?" **_

_**"Hiding in a map of Argyllshire on the second floor. Apparently she refused to let Black in without the password, so he attacked. She's still very distressed, but once she's calmed down, I'll have Mr. Filch restore her." **_

"Ugh…I will be from now on till I finish Hogwarts nice to her." Sirius said, he still couldn't believe just what he had done to her.

_**Harry heard the door of the Hall creak open again, and more footsteps. **_

_**"Headmaster?" It was Snape. **_

_**Harry kept quite still, listening hard. "The whole of the third floor has been searched. He's not there. And Filch has done the dungeons; nothing there, either." **_

_**"What about the Astronomy Tower? Professor Trelawney's room?**_

"I WOULD NEVER GO IN THERE WILINGLY MOSTLY IF SHE IS THERE!" Sirius screamed in horror.

"I tink your dad said a similar thing on that Christmas staff party where she tried to drag him under the mistletoe." Scorpius said smirking as Severus paled.

"Yes till mom stepped between them and pretended that she needed to talk with him urgently." Devona said and her father sighed in relief.

"Till Filius who had already a few eggnogs to much decided that it would be interesting to levitate the mistletoe above them. Never knew that everyone who goes to the staff party have a camera with them." Al added and Severus blushed while the others sniggered.

_**The Owlery?" **_

_**"All searched..." **_

_**"Very well, Severus. I didn't really expect Black to linger." **_

_**"Have you any theory as to how he got in, Professor?" asked Snape. **_

_**Harry raised his head very slightly off his arms to free his other ear. **_

_**"Many, Severus, each of them as unlikely as the next." **_

_**Harry opened his eyes a fraction and squinted up to where they stood; Dumbledore's back was to him, but he could see Percy's face, rapt with attention, and Snape's profile, which looked angry. **_

_**"You remember the conversation we had, Headmaster, just before- ah- the start of term?" said Snape, who was barely opening his lips, as though trying to block Percy out of the conversation. **_

_**"I do, Severus," said Dumbledore, and there was something like warning in his voice. **_

"_Tce, as if he would be in the position to talk with that tone with my father._" Devona hissed in Parseltongue and Severus felt a bit proud that his daughter, even if this sounded still strange to his ears, cared so much about him.

_**"It seems- almost impossible- that Black could have entered the school without inside help. I did express my concerns when you appointed-" **_

_**"I do not believe a single person inside this castle would have helped Black enter it," said Dumbledore, and his tone made it so clear that the subject was closed that Snape didn't reply. **_

_**"I must go down to the Dementors," said Dumbledore. "I said I would inform them when our search was complete." **_

_**"Didn't they want to help, sir?" said Percy. **_

_**"Oh yes," said Dumbledore coldly. "But I'm afraid no Dementor will cross the threshold of this castle while I'm Headmaster." **_

"If only…" Al muttered.

_**Percy looked slightly abashed. Dumbledore left the Hall, walking quickly and quietly. Snape stood for a moment, watching the Headmaster with an expression of deep resentment on his face, then he too left. **_

_**Harry glanced sideways at Ron and Hermione. Both of them had their eyes open, too, reflecting the starry ceiling. **_

_**"What was all that about?" Ron mouthed. **_

_**The school talked of nothing but Sirius Black for the next few days. **_

_**The theories about how he had entered the castle became wilder and wilder; Hannah Abbot, from Hufflepuff, spent much of their next Herbology class telling anyone who'd listen that Black could turn into a **__**flowering**__**shrub**__**. **_

"WHAT, I WOULD NEVER!" Sirius screamed in pure horror while the others bust out in to hysterical laughter.

They needed twenty minutes till everyone calmed down again and twenty more to get Sirius to stop pouting.

_**The Fat Lady's ripped canvas had been taken off the wall and replaced with the portrait of Sir Cadogen and his fat grey pony. **_

"Merlin NO!" James screamed before turning to Sirius. "Padfoot was THIS really necceseary?"

"Don't look at me like that, I don't want to become that person…" Sirius said in panic.

_**Nobody was very happy about this.**_

"Who would?"

"Uhm…my in-laws…" Scorpius commnted blushing.

"Please don't remind me…" Abraxas groaned.

_**Sir Cadogen spent half his time challenging people to duels, and the rest thinking up ridiculously complicated passwords, which he changed at least twice a day. **_

_**"He's barking mad," said Seamus Finnigan angrily to Percy. "Can't we get anyone else?" **_

_**"None of the other pictures wanted the job," said Percy. "Frightened of what happened to the Fat Lady. Sir Cadogen was the only one brave enough to volunteer."**_

"I would say the only one mad enough…" Cygnus commented before continuing with the reading.

_**Sir Cadogan, however, was the least of Harry's worries. He was now being closely watched. **_

_**Teachers found excuses to walk along corridors with him and Percy Weasley (acting, Harry suspected, on his mother's orders) was tailing him everywhere like an extremely pompous guard dog. **_

Most people sniggered at the last part.

_**To cap it all, professor McGonagall summoned Harry into her office, **_

Alphonse, Sirius and James shuddered.

_**with such a sombre expression on her face Harry thought someone must have died. **_

_**"There's no point hiding it from you any longer, Potter," she said, in a very serious voice. "I know this will come as a shock to you, but Sirius Black -" **_

_**"I know he's after me," said Harry wearily. "I heard Ron's dad telling his mum. Mr. Weasley works for the Ministry of Magic." **_

_**Professor McGonagall seemed very taken aback. She stared at Harry for a moment or two, then said, "I see! Well,in that case, Potter, you'll understand why I don't think it's a good idea for you to be practising Quidditch in the evenings. **_

"WHAT!" shouted both James and his father in horror.

"Men…" both Allana and Lily said in union.

_**On the pitch with only your team members, it's very exposed, Potter-" **_

_**"We've got our first match on Saturday!" said Harry, outraged. "I've got to train, Professor!" **_

_**Professor McGonagall considered him intently. Harry knew she was deeply interested in the Gryffindor team's prospects; it had been she, after all, who'd suggested him as Seeker in the first place. He waited, holding his breath. **_

_**"Hmm..." Professor McGonagall stood up and stared out of the window at the Quidditch pitch, just visible through the rain. **_

_**"Well... goodness knows, I'd like to see us win the Cup at last... but all the same, Potter... **_

_**I'd be happier if a teacher were present. I'll ask Madam Hooch to oversee your training sessions." **_

Both James and Alphonse let out a sigh of relief at this.

_**The weather worsened steadily as the first Quidditch match drew nearer. Undaunted, the Gryffindor team were training harder than ever under the eye of Madam Hooch. **_

_**Then, at their final training session before Saturday's match, Oliver Wood gave his team some unwelcome news. **_

_**"We're not playing Slytherin!" he told them, looking very angry. **_

"What?" demanded James and Lucius together.

_**"Flint's just been to see me. We're playing Hufflepuff instead." **_

_**"Why?" chorused the rest of the team. **_

_**"Flint's excuse is that their Seeker's arm's still injured," said Wood, grinding his teeth furiously. **_

"Don't tell me my son hasn't got any reverse players?" Aractus asked.

_**"But it's obvious why they're doing it. Don't want to play in this weather. Think it'll damage their chances..." **_

_**There had been strong winds and heavy rain all day, and as Wood spoke, they heard a distant rumble of thunder. **_

_**"There's **__**nothing wrong**__** with Malfoy's arm!" said Harry furiously. "He's faking it!" **_

_**"I know that, but we can't prove it," said Wood bitterly. "And we've been practising all those moves assuming we're playing Slytherin, and instead it's Hufflepuff, and their side's quite different. They've got a new captain and Seeker, Cedric Diggory-" **_

"If he is as good as his father then they are good." James said.

"Expect if Amos sees Lucius…" Sirius commented grinning.

_**Angelina, Alicia and Katie suddenly giggled. **_

_**"What?" said Wood, frowning at this light-hearted behaviour. **_

_**"He's that tall, good-looking one, isn't he?" said Angelina. **_

_**"Strong and silent," said Katie, and they started to giggle again. **_

_**"He's only silent because he's too thick to string two words together," said Fred impatiently. **_

They all laughed.

_**"I don't know why you're worried, Oliver. Hufflepuff are a pushover. Last time we played them, Harry caught the Snitch in about five minutes, remember?" **_

_**"We were playing in completely different conditions!" Wood shouted, his eyes bulging slightly. "Diggory's put a very strong side together! He's an excellent Seeker! I was afraid you'd take it like this! We mustn't relax! We must keep our focus! Slytherin are trying to wrong-foot us! We **__**must**__** win!" **_

Lily raised a brow. "Merlin, he is very obssessed with Quidditch."

_**"Oliver, calm down!" said Fred, looking slightly alarmed. "We're taking Hufflepuff very seriously. **__**Seriously**__**."**_

_**The day before the match, the winds reached howling point and the rain fell harder than ever. It was so dark inside the corridors and classrooms that extra torches and lanterns were lit. The Slytherin team were looking very smug indeed, and none more so than Malfoy. **_

_**"Ah, if only my arm was feeling a bit better!" he sighed, as the gale outside pounded the windows. **_

_**Harry had no room in his head to worry about anything except the match the next day. Oliver Wood kept hurrying up to him between classes and giving him tips. The third time this happened, Wood talked for so long that Harry suddenly realised he was ten minutes late for Defence Against the Dark Arts, and set off at a run with Wood shouting after him, "Diggory's got a very fast swerve, Harry, so you might want to try looping him-" **_

_**Harry skidded to a halt outside the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom, pulled the door open and dashed inside. **_

_**"Sorry I'm late, Professor Lupin, I-" **_

_**But it wasn't Professor Lupin who looked up at him from the teacher's desk; it was Snape.**_

"What are you do…" but suddenly looked all teens together expect the newcommers.

"Day after the full moon…" they said in union, but then Remus looked suddenly panicked at the three adults who sook they heads smiling and Remus let out a relieved sigh.

_**"This lesson began ten minutes ago, Potter, so I think we'll make it ten points from Gryffindor. Sit down." **_

"Ugh…I so hate my acting…" Severus groaned.

"Don't worry that was in the past and no one is angry at you for it." Al said smiling and Severus felt relieved at this.

_**But Harry didn't move. **_

_**"Where's Professor Lupin?" **_

_**"He says he is feeling too ill to teach today," said Snape with a twisted smile. "I believe I told you to sit down?" **_

_**But Harry stayed where he was. "What's wrong with him?" **_

"Harry don't argue and sit down please." Lily said.

_**Snape's black eyes glittered. "Nothing life-threatening," he said, looking as though he wished it was. **_

"Sorry…" Severus said to Remus.

"No problem…"

_**"Five more points from Gryffindor, and if I have to ask you to sit down again, it will be fifty." **_

_**Harry walked slowly to his seat and sat down. Snape looked around at the class. **_

_**"As I was saying before Potter interrupted, Professor Lupin has not left any record of the topics you have covered so far-" **_

_**"Please, sir, we've done Boggarts, Red Caps, Kappas and grindylows," said Hermione quickly, "and we're just about to start-" **_

_**"Be quiet," said Snape coldly. "I did not ask for information. I was merely commenting on Professor Lupin's lack of organisation." **_

_**"He's the best Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher we've ever had," said Dean Thomas boldly, and there was a murmur of agreement from the rest of the class. **_

"Big mistake." The kids said.

_**Snape looked more menacing than ever. **_

"Ugh…we saw him like that already, he is SCARRY…" Sirius said shuddering.

_**"You are easily satisfied. Lupin is hardly over-taxing you- I would expect first-years to be able to deal with Red Caps and grindylows. Today we shall discuss-" **_

_**Harry watched him flick through the text book, to the very back chapter, which he must know they hadn't covered. **_

_**"-werewolves," said Snape. **_

"WHAT!" Severus yelled.

"Don't worry dad you didn't know it back then, buti t was a good thing that you have taken that one through with them." Devona told her father to calm him.

"What do you mean?" James asked.

"You will see."

_**"But, sir," said Hermione, seemingly unable to restrain herself, "we're not supposed to do werewolves yet, we're due to start hinkypunks-" **_

_**"Miss Granger," said Snape, in a voice of deadly calm, "I was under the impression that I was teaching this lesson, not you. And I'm telling you all to turn to page three hundred and ninety-four." He glanced around again. "**__**All**__** of you! **__**Now!**__**" **_

_**With many bitter sidelong looks and some sullen muttering, the class opened their books. **_

_**"Which of you can tell me how we distinguish between the werewolf and the true wolf?" said Snape. **_

_**Everyone sat in motionless silence; everyone except Hermione, whose hand, as it often did, had shot straight into the air. **_

_**"Anyone?" Snape said, ignoring Hermione. His twisted smile was back. "Are you telling me that Professor Lupin hasn't even taught you the basic distinction between-" **_

_**"We told you," said Parvati suddenly, "we haven't got as far as werewolves yet, we're still on-" **_

_**"**__**Silence!**__**" snarled Snape. "Well, well, well, I never thought I'd meet a third-year class who wouldn't even recognise a werewolf when they saw one. I shall make a point of informing Professor Dumbledore how very behind you all are..." **_

_**"Please, sir," said Hermione, whose hand was still in the air, "the werewolf differs from the true wolf in several small ways. The snout of the werewolf-" **_

_**"That is the second time you have spoken out of turn, Miss Granger," said Snape coolly. "Five more points from Gryffindor for being an insufferable know-it-all." **_

"Oh god…Rosie really got that from her…" Scorpius said paling.

_**Hermione went very red, put down her hand and stared at the floor with her eyes full of tears. **_

"She overreacted ont hat one according to her." Al said.

_**It was a mark of how much the class loathed Snape that they were all glaring at him, because every one of them had called Hermione a know-it-all at least once, and Ron, who told Hermione she was a know-it-all at least twice a week, said loudly, "You asked us a question and she knows the answer! Why ask if you don't want to be told?" **_

"Ron…" both Arthur and Molly whined.

"He was a true Gryffindor…" Sirius said.

_**The class knew instantly he'd gone too far. Snape advanced on Ron slowly, and the room held its breath. **_

_**"Detention, Weasley," Snape said silkily, his face very close to Ron's. "And if I ever hear you criticise that way I teach a class again, you will be very sorry indeed." **_

Everyone shuddered.

_**No one made a sound throughout the rest of the lesson. They sat and made notes on werewolves from the textbook, while Snape prowled up and down the rows of desks, examining the work they had been doing with Professor Lupin. **_

_**"Very poorly explained... that is incorrect, the Kappa is more commonly found in Mongolia... **_

"No they are more common in Japan." James commented.

"True, but according to the lates researches by Rolf, Scorpius's father-in-law the same goes for Mongolia to, but they are strangely more hidden." Al told them.

"Oh…"

_**Professor Lupin gave this eight out of ten? I wouldn't have given it three ..." **_

_**When the bell rang at last, Snape held them back. **_

_**"You will each write an essay, to be handed in to me, on the ways you recognise and kill werewolves. I want two rolls of parchment on the subject, and I want them by Monday morning. **_

_**It is time somebody took this class in hand. Weasley, stay behind, we need to arrange your detention." **_

_**Harry and Hermione left the room with the rest of the class, who waited until they were all out of earshot, then burst into a furious tirade about Snape. **_

_**"Snape's never been like this with any of our other Defence Against the Dark Arts teachers, even if he did want the job," Harry said to Hermione. "Why's he got it in for Lupin? D'you think this is all because of the Boggart?" **_

"Erm…more likely becouse of our school years…" Remus commented blushing.

_**"I don't know," said Hermione pensively. "But I really hope Professor Lupin gets better soon..." **_

_**Ron caught up with them five minutes later, in a towering rage. **_

_**"D'you know what that-" (He called Snape something that made Hermione say "**__**Ron!**__**")**_

"Al, remind me to look after the word he said about my father." Devona said in an icy tone which made everyone shudder.

_**"- is making me do? I've got to scrub out the bedpans in the hospital wing. **__**Without magic!**__**"**_

"Ugh!" they all said.

_**He was breathing deeply, his fists clenched. "Why couldn't Black have hidden in Snape's office, eh? He could have finished him off for us!" **_

"Al, when is the next Auro meting?" Devona asked.

"You want to do the same thing to him as with James?" Al asked while Scorpius was laughing again.

"What did you do?" Lucius asked.

"She transfigured his clothes int o a wedding dress and put a charm on it so that James couldn't see what he was wearing and the dress flashed "_I'm a poor demsel in distress and want a shining knight to marry me"._" Al said grinning.

"And the best is that he even got six requests on that day." Scorpius managed to get out and nearly everyone broke out laughing at this.

_**Harry woke extremely early the next morning; so early that it was still dark. **_

_**For a moment he thought the roaring wind had woken him, then he felt a cold breeze on the back of his neck and sat bolt upright- Peeves the Poltergeist had been floating next to him, blowing hard in his ear. **_

_**"What did you do that for?" said Harry furiously. **_

_**Peeves puffed out his cheeks, blew hard and zoomed backwards out of the room, cackling. **_

_**Harry fumbled for his alarm clock and looked at it. It was half past four. **_

_**Cursing Peeves, he rolled over and tried to get back to sleep, but it was very difficult, now he was awake, to ignore the sounds of the thunder rumbling overhead, the pounding of the wind against the castle walls and the distant creaking of the trees in the Forbidden Forest. **_

_**In a few hours he would be out on the Quidditch pitch, battling through that gale. Finally he gave up any thought of more sleep, got up, dressed, picked up his Nimbus Two Thousand and walked quietly out of the dormitory. **_

_**As Harry opened the door, something brushed against his leg. He bent down just in time to grab Crookshanks by the end of his bushy tail, and drag him outside. **_

_**"You know, I reckon Ron was right about you," Harry told Crookshanks suspiciously. "There are plenty of mice around this place, go and chase them. **_

_**"Go on," he added, nudging Crookshanks down the spiral staircase with his foot, "leave Scabbers alone." **_

_**The noise of the storm was even louder in the common room. Harry knew better than to think the match would be cancelled; Quidditch matches weren't called off for trifles such as thunderstorms. **_

_**Nevertheless, he was starting to feel very apprehensive. Wood had pointed out Cedric Diggory to him in the corridor; Diggory was a fifth-year and a lot bigger than Harry. Seekers were usually light and speedy, but Diggory's weight would be an advantage in this weather because he was less likely to be blown off course. **_

_**Harry whiled away the hours until dawn in front of the fire, getting up every now and then to stop Crookshanks sneaking up the boys' staircase again. At long last Harry thought it must be time for breakfast, so he headed through the portrait hole alone. **_

_**"Stand and fight, you mangy cur!" yelled Sir Cadogen. **_

_**"Oh, shut up," Harry yawned. **_

_**He revived a bit over a large bowl of porridge, and by the time he'd started on toast, the rest of the team had turned up. **__._

_**"It's going to be a tough one," said Wood, who wasn't eating anything. **_

_**"Stop worrying, Oliver," said Alicia soothingly, "we don't mind a bit of rain." **_

"A bit of rain!' cried most of the girls.

_**But it was considerably more than a bit of rain. Such was the popularity of Quidditch that the whole school turned out to watch the match as usual, but they ran down the lawns towards the Quidditch pitch, heads bowed against the ferocious wind, umbrellas being whipped out of their hands as they went. **_

_**Just before he entered the changing room, Harry saw Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle laughing and pointing at him from under an enormous umbrella on the way to the stadium. **_

_**The team changed into their scarlet robes and waited for Wood's usual pre-match pep talk, but it didn't come. He tried to speak several times, made an odd gulping noise, then shook his head hopelessly and beckoned them to follow him. **_

_**The wind was so strong that they staggered sideways as they walked out onto the pitch. If the crowd was cheering they couldn't hear it over the fresh rolls of thunder. Rain was splattering over Harry's glasses. How on earth was he going to see the Snitch in this? **_

_**The Hufflepuffs were approaching from the opposite side of the pitch, wearing canary-yellow robes. The captains walked up to each other and shook hands; Diggory smiled at Wood but Wood now looked as though he had lockjaw and merely nodded. **_

_**Harry saw Madam Hooch's mouth form words, "Mount your brooms." He pulled his right foot out of the mud with a squelch and swung it over his Nimbus Two Thousand. Madam Hooch put her whistle to her lips and gave it a blast that sounded shrill and distant- they were off. **_

_**Harry rose fast, but his Nimbus was swerving slightly with the wind. He held it as steady as he could and turned, squinting into the rain. **_

_**Within five minutes Harry was soaked to his skin and frozen, hardly able to see his team-mates, let alone the tiny Snitch. He flew backwards and forwards across the pitch, past blurred red and yellow shapes, with no idea of what was happening in the rest of the game. He couldn't hear the commentary over the wind. The crowd was hidden beneath a sea of cloaks and battered umbrellas. Twice Harry came very close to being unseated by a Bludger; his vision was so clouded by the rain on his glasses he hadn't seen them coming. **_

_**He lost track of time. It was getting harder and harder to hold his broom straight. The sky was getting darker, as though night had decided to come early. Twice Harry nearly hit another player, without knowing whether it was a team-mate or opponent; everyone was now so wet, and the rain so thick, he could hardly tell them apart... **_

"I'm starting to worry becouse of the chapter title…" Daria said and Remus quickly filled the bowl with more chocolate.

_**With the first flash of lightning came the sound of Madame Hooch's whistle; Harry could just see the outline of Wood through the thick rain, gesturing him to the ground. The whole team splashed down into the mud. **_

_**"I called for time out!" Wood roared at his team. "Come on, under here-" **_

_**They huddled at the edge of the pitch under a large umbrella; Harry took off his glasses and wiped them hurriedly on his robes. **_

_**"What's the score?" **_

_**"We're fifty points up," said Wood, "but unless we get the Snitch soon, we'll be playing into the night." **_

"The old Quiddich playing times." Scorpius said as he looked at his two friends who blushed.

"Hmm…"

"You know in our school days were these two Seekers" at this smiled both James and Severus proudly" and every time Gryffindor playd against Slytherin they managed to grab the Snitch at the same time so our teams started to play so that they scored more with the Quaffle." Scorpius explained.

"How did you manage to do that?" James asked in an unbelieving tone.

"We still try to figure it out, but the whole school can confirm that they managed it every time." Scorpius said grinning while ignoring the two death glares sent at him.

_**"I've got no chance with these on," Harry said exasperatedly, waving his glasses. **_

_**At that very moment, Hermione appeared at his shoulder; she was holding her cloak over her head and was inexplicably, beaming. **_

_**"I've had an idea, Harry! Give me your glasses, quick!" **_

_**He handed them to her and, as the team watched in amazement, Hermione tapped them with her wand and said, "**__**Impervius**__**!" **_

"Great!" they all shouted.

_**"There!" she said, handing them back to Harry. "They'll repel water!" **_

_**Wood looked as though he could have kissed her. **_

"And be murdered by Katie and uncle Ron." Al whispered.

_**"Brilliant!" he called hoarsely after her, as she disappeared into the crowd. "OK, team, let's go for it!" **_

_**Hermione's spell had done the trick. Harry was still numb with cold, still wetter than he'd ever been in his life, but he could see. **_

_**Full of fresh determination, he urged his broom through the turbulent air, staring in every direction for the Snitch, avoiding a Bludger, ducking beneath Diggory, who was streaking in the opposite direction... **_

_**There was another clap of thunder, followed immediately followed by forked lightning. This was getting more and more dangerous. Harry needed to get the Snitch quickly- **_

_**He turned, intending to head back towards the middle of the pitch, but at that moment, another flash of lightning illuminated the stands, and Harry saw something that distracted him completely: the silhouette of an enormous shaggy black dog, clearly imprinted against the sky, motionless in the topmost, empty row of seats. **_

_**Harry's numb hands slipped on the broom handle and his Nimbus dropped a few feet. Shaking his sodden fringe out of his eyes, he squinted back into the stands. The dog had vanished. **_

_**"Harry!" came Wood's anguished yell from the Gryffindor goalposts. "Harry, behind you!" **_

_**Harry looked wildly around. Cedric Diggory was pelting up the pitch, and a tiny speck of gold was shimmering in the rain-filled air between them... **_

_**With a jolt of panic, Harry threw himself flat to the broom handle and zoomed towards the Snitch. **_

_**"Come on!" he growled at his Nimbus, as the rain whipped his face. "**__**Faster!**__**" **_

_**But something odd was happening. An eerie silence was falling across the stadium. The wind, though as strong as ever, was forgetting to roar. It was as though someone had turned off the sound, as though Harry had suddenly gone deaf- what was going on? **_

Cygnus turned suddenly rather pale.

_**And then a horribly familiar wave of cold swept over him, inside him, just as he became aware of something moving on the pitch below... **_

"Oh no…" Andromeda gasped.

_**Before he had time to think, Harry had taken his eyes off the Snitch and looked down. **_

_**A least a hundred Dementors, their hidden faces pointing up at him, were standing below. **_

"Hey, what are those Dementors doing on the pitch while there is a match?" demanded an angry James. "I demand a re-" he then gasped suddenly realizing something rather important"HARRY, GET TO THE GROUND NOW!" he yelled in panic.

_**It was as though freezing water was rising in his chest, cutting at his insides. **_

_**And then he heard it again... someone was screaming, screaming inside his head... a woman ... **_

Lily looked in horror over to the three teens as Al suddenly stood up and hugged her while Devona did the same with her father, this made the teenagers understand.

_**"Not Harry, not Harry, please not Harry!" **_

_**"Stand aside, you silly girl... stand aside, now..." **_

_**"Not Harry, please no, take me, kill me instead-" **_

"Oh Merlin…please no he…he is hearing me…" Lily said as she subbed int o her grandson's chest. The parents al gasped and the Potters tried to comfort the Evans pair, even Petuni tried to hold back her tears as she went over to her sister and hugged her. Vernon only stared at his girlfriend shocked.

_**Numbing, swirling white mist was filling Harry's brain... What was he doing? Why was he flying? He needed to help her... She was going to die... She was going to be murdered... He was falling, falling through the icy mist. **_

_**"Not Harry! Please... have mercy... have mercy..." **_

_**A shrill voice was laughing, the woman was screaming, and Harry knew no more. **_

The room was covered in death silence only broken by the sound of soft sobs till after twenty minutes Cygnus gathered himself enough to continue reading.

_**"Lucky the ground was so soft." **_

_**"I thought he was dead for sure." **_

_**"But he didn't even break his glasses." **_

_**Harry could hear the voices whispering, but they made no sense whatsoever. **_

_**He didn't have a clue where he was, or how he'd got there, or what he'd been doing before he got there. **_

_**All he knew was that every inch of him was aching as though it had been beaten. **_

_**"That was the scariest thing I've ever seen in my life." **_

_**Scariest... the scariest thing... hooded black figures... cold... screaming... **_

_**Harry's eyes snapped open He was lying in the hospital wing. The Gryffindor Quidditch team, spattered with mud from head to foot, was gathered round his bed. Ron and Hermione were also there, looking as though they'd just climbed out of a swimming pool. **_

_**"Harry!" said Fred, who looked extremely white underneath the mud. "How're you feeling?" **_

_**It was as though Harry's memory was on fast forward. The lightning... the Grim... **_

"That wasn't a Grim that was Sirius!"James said while Al and Devona sat back to Scorpius.

_**the Snitch... and the Dementors... **_

_**"What happened?" he said, sitting up so suddenly they all gasped. **_

_**"You fell off," said Fred. "Must've been- what- fifty feet?" **_

Nearly every female in the room bust out in to tears again while the man glared at the book.

_**"We thought you'd died," said Alicia, who was shaking. **_

_**Hermione made a small, squeaky noise. Her eyes were extremely bloodshot. **_

_**"But the match," said Harry. "What happened? Are we having a replay?" **_

"The same obsessive character for that game like his grandfather and father." Allana said as sge whipped a tear from her eye.

_**No one said anything. The horrible truth sank into Harry like a stone. **_

"Damned Dementors."

_**"We didn't - **__**lose**__**?" **_

_**"Diggory got the Snitch," said George. "Just after you fell. He didn't realise what had happened. When he looked back and saw you on the ground, he tried to call it off. Wanted a re-match. But they won fair and square... even Wood admits it." **_

"The bloke is ok." James said.

_**"Where is Wood?" said Harry, suddenly realising he wasn't there. **_

Cygnus let out a little chuckle as he read the next sentence.

_**"Still in the showers," said Fred. "We think he's trying to drown himself." **_

Everyone needed to chuckle at this.

_**Harry put his face to his knees, his hands gripping his hair. Fred grabbed his shoulder and shook it roughly. **_

_**"C'mon, Harry, you've never missed the Snitch before." **_

_**"There had to be one time you didn't get it," said George. **_

_**"It's not over yet," said Fred. "We lost by a hundred points, right? So if Hufflepuff lose to Ravenclaw and we beat Ravenclaw and Slytherin..." **_

_**"Hufflepuff'll have to lose by at least two hundred points," said George. **_

_**"But if they beat Ravenclaw..." **_

_**"No way, Ravenclaw are too good. But if Slytherin lose against Hufflepuff..." **_

"As if that would ever happen." Alphonse muttered, but a groan from both Severus and Lucius made him look confused at the two teens.

_**"It all depends on the points- a margin of a hundred either way-" **_

_**Harry lay there, not saying a word. They had lost... for the first time ever, he had lost a Quidditch match. **_

_**After ten minutes or so, Madam Pomfrey came over to tell the team to leave him in peace. **_

_**"We'll come and see you later," Fred told him. "Don't beat yourself up, Harry, you're still the greatest Seeker we've ever had." **_

_**The team trooped out, trailing mud behind them. Madam Pomfrey shut the door behind them, looking disapproving. Ron and Hermione moved nearer to Harry's bed. **_

_**"Dumbledore was really angry," Hermione said in a quaking voice. "I've never seen him like that before. He ran onto the pitch as you fell, waved his wand, and you sort of slowed down before you hit the ground. Then he whirled his wand at the Dementors. Shot silver stuff at them. They left the stadium straight away... he was furious they'd come into the grounds, we heard him-" **_

_**"Then he magicked you onto a stretcher," said Ron. "And walked up to school with you floating on it. Everyone thought you were..." **_

_**He voice faded away, but Harry hardly noticed. He was thinking about what the Dementors had done to him... about the screaming voice. **_

Everyone tryed to hold back they tears.

_**He looked up and saw Ron and Hermione looking at him so anxiously that he quickly cast around for something matter-of-fact to say. **_

_**"Did someone get my Nimbus?" **_

_**Ron and Hermione quickly looked at each other. **_

_**"Well... when you fell off, it got blown away," said Hermione hesitantly. **_

_**"And?" **_

Cygnus groaned at this. "Ugh…you can forget that broom." He said.

_**"And it hit- it hit - oh, Harry - it hit the Whomping Willow." **_

Everyone flinched at this.

_**Harry's insides lurched. The Whomping Willow was a very violent tree**_

"Big understatement."

_**which stood alone in the middle of the grounds. **_

_**"And?" he said, dreading the answer. **_

_**"Well, you know the Whomping Willow," said Ron. "It- it doesn't like being hit." **_

_**"Professor Flitwick brought it back just before you came round," said Hermione in a very small voice. **_

_**Slowly, she reached for a bag at her feet, turned it upside-down and tipped a dozen bits of splintered wood and twigs onto the bed, the only remains of Harry's faithful, finally beaten broomstick. **_

Everyone groaned.

"Who is reading next?" Cygnus asked after a while.

"I..I will…" said Petunia scared tone as the wizard handed her the book with a little smile.

_To be continued… _

* * *

A/N: so as you all know we don't know the names of most parents of the Mauraders and the others so I mad some names up:

Daria Malfoy: wife of Abraxas Malfoy and Luciu's mother

Allana and Alphonse Potter: parents of James Potter

Susan and Johan Evans: parents of Petunia and Lily Evans


	11. Fond memories

A/N: ok I still got half an hour before I try to feed Sasori and Tsukiyomi after managing to seperate them…Now would it be a good thing to know Parseltongue…

XI. Fond memories, _The Marauder's Map _

* * *

Petunia looked down at the title before starting to read.

"_**The Marauder's Map**_" she read.

"Woho, that means that we are ready with it." Sirius cheered excitedly.

"What is this map?" Lucius asked.

"Well it is a map that shows every part of Hogwarts and every person in it and where they are." James explained.

"True, but it had missing parts like the Chamber of Secrets the two hidden rooms of the Founders, the Room of Requirements, six secret passages, the Hidden library beside the one which Madam Prince made plus a few other places." Scorpius said.

"What?" James asked shocked. "Wait how do you know about the Map having missing spots by the way?"

"James got the cloak and I got the Map and together we improved it with every hidden place in Hogwarts, with also the addiction of the grounds, Hogsmeade and a few other buildings beside our homes." Al said as he took out an old parchment from his robes, but put it away a minute later.

"I think you should start reading now." Devona said as she looked at Petunia.

_**Madam Pomfrey insisted on keeping Harry in the hospital wing for the rest of the weekend. He didn't argue or complain, but he wouldn't let her throw away the shattered remnants of his Nimbus Two Thousand. He knew he was being stupid, knew that the Nimbus was beyond repair, but Harry couldn't help it; he felt as though he'd lost one of his best friends.**_

"He still has those remains in a box with the label "_Don't you dare to throw it away"_." Al said chuckling.

_**He had a stream of visitors, all intent on cheering him up. **_

_**Hagrid sent him a bunch of earwiggy flowers that looked like yellow cabbages and Ginny Weasley, blushing furiously, turned up with a "get well" card she had made herself, which sang shrilly unless Harry kept it shut under his bowl of fruit. **_

"Wasn't that the card Lily used to wake him up on the summer I spent by you?" Scorpius asked.

"Yes, I still remember that panicked scream and his question "_Who is being tortured?". _Unfortunately for him mom heard him…" Al answered chuckling as he remembered the horror filled face of his brother as they mother stood above him fumming from rage with a frying pan in her hand.

_**The Gryffindor team visited again on Sunday morning, this time accompanied by Wood, who told Harry, in a hollow, dead sort of voice, that he didn't blame Harry in the slightest.**_

"Oookeyy…Tiff comes after her father…" Scorpius said in a shocked tone.

"Tiff?"

"Tiffany Wood his daughter." Al explained in an amused tone. "She will get married in a month, can't wait till I see James's reaction to the invitation."

"Why?"

"Because she is about to become part of the Flint family." Scorpius said grinning as Aractus nearly dropped the lists he was sorting while Rosier broke out laughing.

"And how took they fathers the news?" Alice asked couriously.

"It was…let's just say they reacted rather interesting." Al replied as he remembered the "Tell the parents" plan from his favorite female cousin.

_**Ron and Hermione only left Harry's bedside at night. But nothing anyone said or did could make Harry feel any better, because they only knew half of what was troubling him. **_

_**He hadn't told anyone about the Grim, not even Ron and Hermione, because he knew that Ron would panic and Hermione would scoff. **_

_**The fact remained, however, that it had now appeared twice, and both appearances had been followed by near-fatal accidents; the first time, he had nearly been run over by the Knight Bus; the second, fallen fifty feet from his broomstick. **_

_**Was the Grim going to haunt him until he actually died? Was he going to spend the rest of his life looking over his shoulder for the beast? **_

"Harry my Animagus form isn't that big." Sirius said.

"True, mine is bigger." Al said with a smug smile on his lips.

"That reminds me you didn't show us what it is." James said as he turned to the man.

"After the book." He answered.

_**And then there were the Dementors. Harry felt sick and humiliated every time he thought of them. **_

_**Everyone said the Dementors were horrible, but no one else collapsed every time they went near one... **_

"They would with a horryble past…" Severus said bitterly as Lucius decided that he would not let him out of the hug till a few more chapters making his father look at them iritated.

_**No one else heard echoes in their head of their dying parents. **_

Everyone was fighting back they tears again and Regulus climbed from the couch and sat again in his brother's lap.

_**For Harry knew who that screaming voice belonged to now. He had heard her words, heard them over and over again during the night hours in the hospital wing while he lay awake, staring at the strips of moonlight on the ceiling. **_

_**When the Dementors approached him, he heard the last moments of his mother's life, her attempts to protect him, Harry, from Lord Voldemort, and Voldemort's laughter before he murdered her... **_

James looked angry as he patted Lily on the pack.

_**Harry dozed fitfully, sinking into dreams full of clammy, rotted hands and petrified pleading, jerking awake only to dwell again on the sound of his mother's voice. **_

_**It was a relief to return on Monday to the noise and bustle of the main school, where he was forced to think about other things, even if he had to endure Draco Malfoy's taunting. **_

Lucius sent his best death glare against his father which was usualy reserved for the ones daring to say something wrong about Severus.

_**Malfoy was almost beside himself with glee at Gryffindor's defeat. **_

_**He had finally taken off his bandages, and celebrated having the full use of both arms again by doing spirited imitations of Harry falling off his broom. **_

_**Malfoy spent much of their next Potions class doing Dementor imitations across the dungeon; Ron finally cracked, flinging a large, slippery crocodile heart at Malfoy, which hit him in the face **_

"My son has got a death wish." Arthur groaned while Scorpius desperately tried to not imagine that scene or they "ferret-fiasco" thing would get a re-run.

_**and caused Snape to take fifty points from Gryffindor. **_

"At least you didn't murder him…" Sirius commented.

_**"If Snape's taking Defence Against the Dark Arts again, I'm going off sick," said Ron, as they headed towards Lupin's classroom after lunch. "Check who's in there, Hermione." **_

_**Hermione peered round the classroom door. **_

_**"It's OK!" **_

_**Professor Lupin was back at work. **_

_**It certainly looked as though he had been ill. His old robes were hanging more loosely on him and there were dark shadows beneath his eyes; nevertheless, he smiled at the class as they took their seats, and they burst at once into an explosion about Snape's behaviour while Lupin had been ill. **_

_**"It's not fair, he was only filling in, why should he set us homework?" **_

_**"We don't know anything about werewolves -" **_

_**"-two rolls of parchment!" **_

_**"Did you tell Professor Snape we haven't covered them yet?" Lupin asked, frowning slightly. **_

_**The babble broke out again. **_

_**"Yes, but he said we were really behind-" **_

_**"-he wouldn't listen-" **_

_**"-two rolls of parchment!" **_

_**Professor Lupin smiled at the look of indignation on every face. **_

_**"Don't worry. I'll speak to Professor Snape. You don't have to do the essay." **_

"Luckily I was rather good with shield charms…" Remus said while the others chuckled.

_**"Oh no," said Hermione, looking very disappointed. "I've already finished it!" **_

"Rosie is definiately her clone." Scorpius whispered to Al who nodded.

_**They had a very enjoyable lesson. Professor Lupin had brought along a glass box containing a Hinkypunk, a little one-legged creature who seemed as though he was made out of whisps of smoke, rather frail and harmless-looking. **_

_**"Lures travellers into bogs," said Professor Lupin, as they took notes. "You notice the lantern dangling from his hands? Hops ahead- people follow the light- then-" **_

_**The Hinkypunk made a horrible squelching noise against the glass. **_

_**When the bell rang, everyone gathered up their things and headed for the door, Harry amongst them, but- "Wait a moment, Harry," Lupin called, "I'd like a word." **_

_**Harry doubled back and watched Professor Lupin covering the Hinkypunk's box with a cloth. **_

_**"I heard about the match," said Lupin, turning back to his desk and starting to pile books into his briefcase, "and I'm sorry about your broomstick. Is there any chance of fixing it?" **_

_**"No," said Harry. "The tree smashed it to bits." **_

_**Lupin sighed. **_

_**"They planted the Whomping Willow the same year that I arrived at Hogwarts. People used to play a game, trying to get near enough to touch the trunk. **_

"I remember that!" exclaimed Peter. "Davy Gudgeon nearly lost one of his eyes by it."

"You playd WHAT!" they mothers shreaked in shock and anger while the kids al cowered.

_**In the end, a boy called Davey Gudgeon nearly lost an eye, and we were forbidden to go near it. No broomstick would have a chance." **_

_**"Did you hear about the Dementors, too?" said Harry with difficulty. **_

_**Lupin looked at him quickly. **_

_**"Yes, I did. I don't think any of us have seen Professor Dumbledore that angry. They have been growing restless for some time... furious at his refusal to let them inside the grounds... I suppose they were the reason you fell?" **_

_**"Yes," said Harry.**_

_**He hesitated, and then the question he had to ask burst from him before he could stop himself. "Why? Why do they affect me like that? Am I just-?" **_

_**"It has nothing to do with weakness," said Professor Lupin sharply, as though he had read Harry's mind. "The Dementors affect you worse than the others because there are horrors in your past that the others don't have." **_

_**A ray of wintry sunlight fell across the classroom, illuminating Lupin's grey hairs and the lines on his young face. **_

"I hate my transformations" Remus groaned.

"At least you are only turning gray Remus…I'm going BALD!" Arthur yelled the last part and everyone laughed at this.

_**"Dementors are among the foulest creatures that walk this earth. They infest the darkest, filthiest places, they glory in decay and despair, they drain peace, hope and happiness out of the air around them. **_

_**Even Muggles feel their presence, though they can't see them. Get too near a Dementor and every good feeling, every happy memory will be sucked out of you. If it can, the Dementor will feed on you long enough to reduce you to something like itself- soulless and evil. You'll be left with nothing but the worst experiences of your life. And the worst that has happened to you, Harry, is enough to make anyone fall off their broom. You have nothing to feel ashamed of." **_

_**"When they get near me-" Harry stared at Lupin's desk, his throat tight, "I can hear Voldemort murdering my mum." **_

_**Lupin made a sudden motion with his arm as though he had made to grip Harry's shoulder, but thought better of it. There was a moment's silence; then- **_

_**"Why did they have to come to the match?" said Harry bitterly. **_

_**"They're getting hungry," said Lupin coolly, shutting his briefcase with a snap. "Dumbledore won't let them into the school, so their supply of human prey has dried up ...**_

They all shuddered.

_**I don't think they could resist the large crowd around the Quidditch pitch. All the excitement... emotions running high... it was their idea of a feast." **_

_**"Azkaban must be terrible," Harry muttered. Lupin nodded grimly. **_

_**"The fortress is set on a tiny island, way out to sea, but they don't need walls and water to keep the prisoners in, not when they're all trapped inside their own heads, incapable of a single cheerful thought. Most of them go mad within weeks." **_

Everyone was now looking at Sirius who has turned a ghostly pale shade.

_**"But Sirius Black escaped from them," Harry said slowly. "He got away..." **_

_**Lupin's briefcase slipped from the desk; he had to stoop quickly to catch it. **_

_**"Yes," he said, straightening up. "Black must have found a way to fight them. I wouldn't have believed it possible... Dementors are supposed to drain a wizard of his powers if he is left with them too long..." **_

"I can't believe what I'm saying!" Remus said shocked.

_**"You made that Dementor on the train back off," said Harry suddenly. **_

_**"There are- certain defences one can use," said Lupin. "But there was only one Dementor on the train. The more there are, the more difficult it becomes to resist." **_

_**"What defences?" said Harry at once. "Can you teach me?" **_

_**"I don't pretend to be an expert at fighting Dementors, Harry- quite the contrary..." **_

_**"But if the Dementors come to another Quidditch match, I need to be able to fight them-"**_

"Exactly," said James.

_**Lupin looked into Harry's determined face, hesitated, then said, "Well... all right. I'll try and help. **_

_**But it'll have to wait until the next term, I'm afraid. I have a lot to do before the holidays. I chose a very inconvenient time to fall ill." **_

_**What with the promise of Anti-Dementor lessons from Lupin, the thought that he might never have to hear his mother's death again, and the fact that Ravenclaw flattened Hufflepuff in their Quidditch match at the end of November, Harry's mood took a definite upturn. **_

_**Gryffindor were not out of the running after all, although they could not afford to lose another match. Wood became repossessed of his manic energy, and worked his team as hard as ever in the chilly haze that persisted into December. Harry saw no hint of a Dementor within the grounds. **_

"Good," they all said.

_**Dumbledore's anger seemed to be keeping them at their stations at the entrances. **_

_**Two weeks before the end of term, the sky lightened suddenly to a dazzling, opaline white and the muddy grounds were revealed one morning covered in glittering frost. **_

_**Inside the castle, there was a buzz of Christmas in the air. Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher, had already decorated his classroom with shimmering lights that turned out to be real, fluttering fairies. **_

_**The students were all happily discussing their plans for the holidays. Both Ron and Hermione had decided to remain at Hogwarts, and though Ron said it was because he couldn't stand two weeks with Percy, and Hermione insisted she needed to use the library, Harry wasn't fooled; they were doing it to keep him company, and he was very grateful. **_

"The Golden Trio always sticks together." Al said in an amused tone as everyone stared at him.

"Golden Trio?" Alphonse asked confused.

"The three of them were unknown to them called that by the whole castle."

_**To everyone's delight except Harry's, there was to be another Hogsmeade trip on the very last weekend of term. **_

_**"We can do all our Christmas shopping there!" said Hermione. "Mum and Dad would really love those Toothflossing Stringmints from Honeydukes!" **_

_**Resigned to the fact that he would be the only third-year staying behind again, Harry borrowed a copy of **__**Which Broomstick**__** from Wood, and decided to spend the day reading up on the different makes. **_

"Excellent idea, Harry," said James excitedly.

_**He had been riding one of the school brooms at team practice, an ancient Shooting Star, which was very slow and jerky; he definitely needed a new broom of his own. **_

_**On the Saturday morning of the Hogsmeade trip, Harry bid goodbye to Ron and Hermione, who were wrapped in cloaks and scarves, then turned up the marble staircase alone, and headed back towards Gryffindor Tower. **_

_**Snow had started to fall outside the windows, and the castle was very still and quiet. **_

_**"Psst- Harry!" **_

_**He turned, halfway along the third-floor corridor, to see Fred and George peering out at him from behind a statue of a humpbacked, one-eyed witch. **_

"That's the statue that leads right to Honeydukes!" exclaimed Sirius.

_**"What are you doing?" said Harry curiously. "How come you're not going to Hogsmeade?" **_

_**"We've come to give you a bit of festive cheer before we go," said Fred, with a mysterious wink. "Come in here..." **_

"Here comes the title explaining." Petunia said, ignoring the strange looks both Vernon and Marge were giving her.

"YES!" cheered the Marauders.

_**He nodded towards an empty classroom to the left of the one-eyed statue. Harry followed Fred and George inside. George closed the door quietly and then turned, beaming, to look at Harry. **_

_**"Early Christmas present for you, Harry," he said. **_

_**Fred pulled something from inside his cloak with a flourish and laid it on one of the desks. It was a large, square, very worn piece of parchment with nothing written on it. **_

_**Harry, suspecting one of Fred and George's jokes, stared at it. **_

_**"What's that supposed to be?" **_

_**"This, Harry, is the secret of our success," said George, patting the parchment fondly. **_

_**"It's a wrench, giving it to you," said Fred, "but we decided last night, your need's greater then ours." **_

_**"Anyway, we know it off by heart," said George, "We bequeath it to you. We don't really need it anymore." **_

_**"And what do I need with a bit of old parchment?" said Harry. **_

_**"A bit of old parchment!" said Fred, closing his eyes with a grimace as though Harry had mortally offended him. "Explain, George." **_

_**"Well... when we were in our first year, Harry- young, carefree, and innocent-" **_

"Pranksters are never innocent," Severus said disaprowingly, but he also noticed the three future professors amused looks.

"And he still fell in love with an ex-prankster" Scorpius whispered.

"You tell me, looking at my mother I perfectly know how my daughter will turn out." Devona whispered back.

_**Harry snorted. He doubted whether Fred and George had ever been innocent. **_

_**"-well, more innocent than we are now- we got into a spot of bother with Filch." **_

_**"We let off a dungbomb in the corridor and it upset him for some reason-" **_

_**"So he hauled us off to his office and started threatening us with the usual-" **_

_**"-detention-" **_

_**"-disembowelment-" **_

"It nearly drowe me crazy when the twins first started speaking like this." Scorpius said groaning while his friends chuckled.

_**"- and we couldn't help noticing a drawer in one of his filing cabinets marked **__**Confiscated and Highly Dangerous**__**." **_

"That means that we lost the Map?" James asked.

_**"Don't tell me-" said Harry, starting to grin. **_

_**"Well, what would you've done?" said Fred. "George caused a diversion by dropping another Dungbomb, I whipped the drawer open and grabbed- **__**this**__**." **_

_**"It's not as bad as it sounds, you know," said George. "We don't reckon Filch ever found out how to work it. He probably suspected what it was, though, or he wouldn't have confiscated it." **_

_**"And you know how to work it?" **_

_**"Oh yes," said Fred. "This little beauty's taught us more than all the teachers in this school." **_

The four pranksters grinned with pride.

_**"You're winding me up," said Harry, looking at the old bit of ragged parchment. **_

_**"Oh, are we?" said George. **_

_**He took out his wand, touched the parchment lightly and said,**__** "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." **_

"YES!" the Marauders all cheered.

_**And at once, thin ink lines began to spread like a spider's web from the point that George's wand had touched. They joined each other, they criss-crossed, they fanned into every corner of the parchment; then words began to blossom across the top, great, curly green words, that proclaimed: **_

"Okey…who was the prankster using green?" Sirius demanded.

_**Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs **_

_**Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers **_

_**are proud to present **_

_**THE MARAUDER'S MAP **_

The Marausers cheered again while the others started gapping.

"You made such a thing and you were still having problems in charms?" Alphonse asked shocked.

_**It was a map showing every detail of the Hogwarts castle and grounds. But the truly remarkable thing was the tiny ink dots moving around it, each labelled with a name in minuscule writing. **_

_**Astounded, Harry bent over it. A labelled dot in the top left showed that Professor Dumbledore was pacing his study; the caretaker's cat, Mrs. Norris, was prowling the second floor, and Peeves the Poltergeist was currently bouncing around the trophy room. And as Harry's eyes travelled up and down the familiar corridors, he noticed something else. **_

_**The map showed a set of passages he had never entered. And many of them seemed to lead- **_

_**"Right into Hogsmeade," said Fred, tracing one of them with his finger. "There are seven in all. Now, Filch knows about these four-" he pointed them out, "-but we're sure we're the only ones who know about these. Don't bother with the one behind the mirror on the fourth floor. We used it until last winter, but it's caved in- completely blocked. **_

"Aww…that was one of my favorites…" Sirius whined.

_**And we don't reckon anyone's ever used this one, because the Whomping Willow's planted right over the entrance.**_

"Want to bet?" asked Sirius.

_**But this one here, this one leads right into the cellar of Honeydukes. We've used it loads of times. And you might've noticed, the entrance is right outside this room, through that one-eyed old crone's hump." **_

_**"Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs," sighed George, patting the head of the map. "We owe them so much." **_

_**"Noble men, working tirelessly to help a new generation of law-breakers," said Fred solemnly. **_

The four pranksters were now beaming with pride as Lily, Molly, Severus and Lucius groaned.

"Even my four little Mauraders see you as they rolle models saddly in every way…" Scorpius said the last part bitterly and both James and Sirius swallowed hard.

"Ah yes, you can tell them that on the next Potions class we will make antidotes and I will test my newest poison on four people from every House." Devona said with a twisted grin which made everyone shudder. "It is still time for revenge form my poor Slytherin comon room and dorms."

"What happened?" Lily asked.

"Well they used a charm and well…uhm…to say it the best Slytherin Houses color for three days was erm…neon pink…" Scorpius said nervously.

"WHAT!" screamed the Slytherin in horror, most of them looking at the werge of fainting.

"Erm…ok…" Scorpius said. "And the scarry part is that she isn't joking…" he whispered to everyone.

_**"Right," said George briskly, "don't forget to wipe it after you've used it-" **_

_**"- or anyone can read it," said Fred warningly. **_

_**"Just tap it and say, 'Mischief Managed!' And it'll go blank." **_

_**"So, young Harry," said Fred, in an uncanny impersonation of Percy, "mind you watch yourself." **_

_**"See you in Honeydukes," said George, winking. **_

_**They left the room, both smirking in a satisfied sort of way. **_

_**Harry stood there, gazing at the miraculous map. He watched the tiny ink Mrs. Norris turn and pause to sniff at something on the floor. If Filch really didn't know... he wouldn't have to pass the Dementors at all... **_

_**But even as he stood there, flooded with excitement, something Harry had once heard Mr Weasley say came floating out of his memory. **_

_**Never trust anything that can think for itself, if you can't see where it keeps its brain. **_

_**This map was one of those dangerous magical objects Mr Weasley had been warning against... **_

"By this one you can ignore me Harry." Arthur said smiling.

_**Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers**__**... but then, Harry reasoned, he only wanted to use it to get to Hogsmeade, it wasn't as though he wanted to steal anything or attack anyone... and Fred and George had been using it for years without anything horrible to them happening... **_

_**Harry traced the secret passage to Honeydukes with his finger. Then, quite suddenly, as though following orders, he rolled up the map, stuffed it inside his robes, and hurried to the door of the classroom. He opened it a couple of inches. There was no one outside. Very carefully, he edged out of the room and slipped behind the statue of the one-eyed witch. **_

_**What did he have to do? He pulled out the map again and saw, to his astonishment, that a new figure had appeared upon it, labelled "Harry Potter". This figure was standing exactly where the real Harry was standing, about halfway down the third-floor corridor. **_

_**His little ink self appeared to be tapping the witch with his miniature wand. Harry quickly took out his real wand and tapped the statue. Nothing happened. He looked back at the map. The tiniest speech bubble had appeared next to his figure. The word inside said "Dissendium". **_

"Oookeyy…after this I will never question how you manage to get away with all those pranks…" Lucius said.

"Who are you and what did you do with my son and his friends?" Alphonse asked in pure shock while the other parents nodded.

"Dad, it is still me, but lets just say these books open rather many new aspects about everyone." James said laughing.

_**"Dissendium!"**__** Harry whispered, tapping the stone witch again. **_

_**At once, that statue's hump opened wide enough to admit a fairly thin person. **_

_**Harry glanced quickly up and down that corridor, then tucked the map away again, hoisted himself into the hole headfirst, and pushed himself forwards. **_

_**He slid a considerable way down what felt like a stone slide, then landed on cold, damp earth. He stood up, looking around. It was pitch dark. He help up his wand, muttered, **__**"Lumos!"**__** and saw that he was in a very narrow, low, earthy passageway. He raised the map, tapped it with the tip of his wand and muttered, "Mischief managed!" The map went blank at once. **_

_**He folded it carefully, tucked inside his robes, then, heart beating fast, both excited and apprehensive, he set off. The passage twisted and turned, more like the burrow of a giant rabbit than anything else. Harry hurried along it, stumbling now and then on the uneven floor, holding his wand out in front of him. **_

_**It took ages, but Harry had the thought of Honeydukes to sustain him. After what felt like an hour, the passage began to rise. Panting, Harry sped up, his face hot, his feet very cold.**_

_**Ten minutes later, he came to the foot of some worn stone steps which rose out of sight above him. Careful not to make any noise, Harry began to climb. A hundred steps, two hundred steps, he lost count as he climbed, watching his feet... then, without warning, his head hit something hard. **_

_**It seemed to be a trapdoor. Harry stood there, massaging the top of his head, listening. He couldn't hear any sounds above him. Very slowly, he pushed the trapdoor open and peered over the edge. **_

_**He was in a cellar which was full of wooden crates and boxes. Harry climbed out of the trapdoor and replaced it- it blended so well with the dusty floor that it was impossible to tell it was there. **_

_**Harry crept slowly toward the wooden staircase that led upstairs. Now he could definitely hear voices, not to mention the tinkle of a bell and the opening and shutting of a door. Wondering what he ought to do, he suddenly heard a door open much closer at hand; somebody was about to come downstairs. **_

_**"And get another box of Jelly Slugs, dear, they've nearly cleaned us out-" said a woman's voice. **_

_**A pair of feet were coming down the staircase. Harry leapt behind an enormous crate and waited for the footsteps to pass. He heard the man shifting boxes against the wall opposite. He might not get another chance- **_

_**Quickly and silently, Harry dodged out from his hiding place and climbed the stairs; looking back, he saw an enormous backside and a shiny bald head buried in a box. **_

_**Harry reached the door at the top of the stairs, slipped through it, and found himself behind the counter of Honeydukes- he ducked, crept sideways and then straightened up. **_

_**Honeydukes was so crowded with Hogwarts students that no one looked twice at Harry. He edged amongst them, looking around, and suppressed a laugh as he imagined the look that would spread over Dudley's piggy face if he could see where Harry was now. **_

_**There were shelves upon shelves of the most succulent-looking sweets imaginable. Creamy chunks of nougat, shimmering pink squares of coconut ice, fat, honey-coloured toffees; hundreds of different kinds of chocolate in neat rows; there was a large barrel of Every Flavour Beans, and another of Fizzing Whizzbees, the levitating sherbet balls that Ron had mentioned; **_

_**along yet another wall were "Special Effects" sweets: Droobles Best Blowing Gum (which filled the room with bluebell-coloured bubbles that refused to pop for days), the strange, splintery Toothflossing Stringmints, tiny black Pepper Imps ("breathe fire for your friends!"), peppermint creams shaped like toads ("hop realistically in the stomach!"), fragile sugar-spun quills and exploding bonbons. **_

"Can we move on please I'm getting hungry." Sirius moaned and everyone started laughing.

_**Harry squeezed himself through a crowd of sixth-years and saw a sign hanging in the furthest corner of the shop ("Unusual Tastes"). Ron and Hermione were standing underneath it, examining a tray of blood-flavoured lollipops. Harry sneaked up behind them. **_

_**"Urgh, no, Harry won't want one of those, they're for vampires, I expect," Hermione was saying. **_

_**"How about these?" said Ron, shoving a jar of Cockroach Cluster under Hermione's nose. **_

_**"Definitely not," said Harry. **_

_**Ron nearly dropped the jar. **_

Everyone broke out laughing at this.

_**"**__**Harry!**__**" squealed Hermione. "What are you doing here? How- how did you-?" **_

_**"Wow!" said Ron, looking very impressed. "You've learnt how to Apparate!" **_

_**"'Course I haven't," said Harry. He dropped his voice so that none of the sixth-years could hear him and told them all about the Marauder's Map. **_

_**"How come Fred and George didn't give it to **__**me!**__**" said Ron, outraged. "I'm their brother!" **_

_**"But Harry isn't going to keep it!" said Hermione, as though the idea was ludicrous. "He's going to hand it in to Professor McGonagall, aren't you, Harry?" **_

_**"No, I'm not!" said Harry. **_

_**"Are you mad?" said Ron, goggling at Hermione. "Hand something in that good?" **_

_**"If I hand it in, I'll have to say where I got it! Filch would know Fred and George nicked it!" **_

_**"But what about Sirius Black?" Hermione hissed. "He could be using one of those passages on that map to get into the castle! The teachers have got to know!" **_

_**"He can't be getting in through a passage," said Harry quickly. "There are seven secret tunnels on the map, right? Fred and George reckon Filch already knows about four of them. And the other three- one of them's caved in, so no one can get through it. One of them's got the Whomping Willow planted over the entrance, so you can't get out of it. And the one I just came through- well- it's really hard to see the entrance to it down in the cellar- so unless he knew it was there-" **_

_**Harry hesitated. What if Black did know the passage was there?**_

"I was one of the four inventing it of course I know that passage." Sirius said.

_**Ron, however, cleared his throat significantly, and pointed to a notice pasted on the inside of the sweetshop door. **_

_**BY ORDER OF THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC **_

_**Customers are reminded that until further notice, Dementors will be patrolling the streets of Hogsmeade every night after sundown. This measure has been put in place for the safety of Hogsmeade residents and will be lifted upon the recapture of Sirius Black. It is therefore advisable that you complete your shopping well before nightfall. **_

_**Merry Christmas! **_

"Only in they dreams." Alphonse snapped.

_**"See?" said Ron quietly. "I'd like to see Black try and break into Honeydukes with Dementors swarming all over the village. Anyway, Hermione, the Honeydukes owners would hear a break-in, wouldn't they? They live over the shop!" **_

_**"Yes, but- but-" Hermione seemed to be struggling to find another problem. "Look, Harry still shouldn't be coming into Hogsmeade, he hasn't got a signed form! If anyone finds out, he'll be in so much trouble! And it's not nightfall yet- what if Sirius Black turns up today? Now?" **_

_**"He'd have a job spotting Harry in this," said Ron, nodding through the mullioned windows at the thick, swirling snow. **_

_**"Come on, Hermione, it's Christmas, Harry deserves a break." **_

_**Hermione bit her lip, looking extremely worried. **_

_**"Are you going to report me?" Harry asked her, grinning. **_

_**"Oh- of course not- but honestly, Harry-" **_

_**"Seen the Fizzing Whizzbees, Harry?" said Ron, grabbing him and leading him over to the barrel. "And the Jelly Slugs? And the Acid Pops? Fred gave me one of those once when I was seven- it burnt a hole right through my tongue. I remember Mum walloping him with her broomstick." Ron stared broodingly into the Acid Pop box. **_

They all chuckled.

_**"Reckon Fred'd take a bit of Cockroach Cluster if I told him they were peanuts?" **_

"I doubt it," said Remus.

_**When Ron and Hermione had paid for all their sweets, the tree of them left Honeydukes for the blizzard outside. **_

_**Hogsmeade looked like a Christmas card; the little thatched cottages and shops were all covered in a layer of crisp snow; there were holly wreaths on the doors and strings of enchanted candles hanging in the trees. **_

_**Harry shivered; unlike the other two, he didn't have his cloak. **_

_**They headed up the street, heads bowed against the wind, Ron and Hermione shouting through their scarves. **_

_**"That's the Post office-" **_

_**"Zonko's is up there-" **_

_**"We could go up to the Shrieking Shack-" **_

_**"Tell you what," said Ron, his teeth chattering, "shall we go for Butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks?" **_

_**Harry was more than willing; the wind was fierce and his hands were freezing, so they crossed the road, and in a few minutes were entering the tiny inn. **_

_**It was extremely crowded, noisy, warm and smoky. A curvy sort of woman with a pretty face was serving a bunch of rowdy warlocks up at the bar. **_

"Madam Rosmerta." the wizards said in union.

_**"That's Madam Rosmerta," said Ron. "I'll get the drinks, shall I?" he added, going slightly red. **_

_**Harry and Hermione made their way to the back of the room, where there was a small, vacant table between the window and a handsome Christmas tree which stood next to the fireplace. Ron came back five minutes later, carrying three foaming tanks of hot Butterbeer. **_

_**"Happy Christmas!" he said happily, raising his tankard. **_

"Are children even allowed to drink at that age?" Mr. Evans asked.

"Yes, Butterbeer is nothing dangerous." Alphonse replied as Daria returned with some of said drink, handing everyone a tankard.

_**Harry drank deeply. It was the most delicious thing he'd ever tasted and seemed to heat every bit of him from the inside. **_

_**A sudden breeze ruffled his hair. The door of the Three Broomsticks had opened again. Harry looked over the rim of his tankard and choked. **_

_**Professors McGonagall and Flitwick had just entered the pub in a flurry of snowflakes, shortly followed by Hagrid, who was deep in conversation with a portly man in a lime-green bowler hat and pinstriped cloak: Cornelius Fudge, Minister for Magic.**_

"Harry hide quickly." James said.

_**In an instant, Ron and Hermione had both placed hands on the top of Harry's head and forced him off his stool and under the table.**_

"Good reaction." Remus remarked.

_**Dripping with Butterbeer and crouching out of sight, Harry clutched his empty tankard and watched the teachers' and Fudge's feet move towards the bar, pause, then turn and walk right towards him. **_

_**Somewhere above him, Hermione whispered, "Mobiliarbus!" **_

_**The Christmas tree beside their table rose a few inches off the ground, drifted sideways and landed with a soft thump right in front of their table, hiding them from view. Staring through the dense lower branches, Harry saw four sets of chair legs move back from the table right beside theirs, then heard the grunts and sighs of the teachers and Minister as they sat down. **_

_**Next he saw another pair of feet, wearing sparkly turquoise high heels, and heard a woman's voice. **_

_**"A small Gillywater-" **_

_**"Mine," said Professor McGonagall voice. **_

_**"Four pints of mulled mead-" **_

_**"Ta, Rosmerta," said Hagrid. **_

_**"A cherry syrup and soda with ice and umbrella-" **_

_**"Mmm!" said Professor Flitwick, smacking his lips. **_

_**"So you'll be the red currant rum, Minister." **_

_**"Thank you, Rosmerta, m'dear," said Fudge's voice. "Lovely to see you again, I must say. Have one yourself, won't you? Come and join us..." **_

_**"Well, thank you very much, Minister." **_

_**Harry watched the glittering heels march away and back again, his heart pounding uncomfortably in his throat. Why hadn't it occurred to him that this was the last weekend of term for the teachers, too? **_

_**And how long were they going to sit there? He needed time to sneak back into Honeydukes if he wanted to return to school tonight... Hermione's leg gave a nervous twitch next to him. **_

_**"So, what brings you to this neck of the woods, Minister?" came Madam Rosmerta's voice. **_

_**Harry saw the lower part of Fudge's thick body twist in his chair as though he was checking for eavesdroppers. then he said in a quiet voice, "What else, m'dear, but Sirius Black? I daresay you heard what happened up at the school at Hallowe'en?" **_

_**"I did hear a rumour," admitted Madam Rosmerta. **_

_**"Did you tell the whole pub, Hagrid?" said Professor McGonagall exasperatedly. **_

They all chuckled, thouhg Sirius did look annoyed.

_**"Do you think Black's still in the area, Minister?" whispered Madam Rosmerta. **_

_**"I'm sure of it," said Fudge shortly. **_

_**"You know that the Dementors have searched my pub twice?" said Madam Rosmerta, a slight edge to her voice. "Scared all my customers away... it's very bad for business, Minister." **_

_**"Rosmerta, m'dear, I don't like them any more than you do," said Fudge uncomfortably. "Necessary precaution... unfortunate, but there you are... I've just met some of them. They're in a fury against Dumbledore- he won't let them inside the castle grounds." **_

_**"I should think not," said Professor McGonagall sharply. "How are we supposed to teach with those horrors floating around?" **_

_**"Hear, hear!" squeaked tiny Professor Flitwick, whose feet were dangling a foot from the ground. **_

_**"All the same," demurred Fudge, "they are here to protect you all from something much worse... we all know what Black's capable of..." **_

_**"Do you know, I still have trouble believing it," said Madam Rosmerta thoughtfully. "Of all the people to go over to the Dark side, Sirius Black was the last I'd have thought... **_

"Thank you, Rosmerta," said Sirius gratefully.

_**I mean, I remember him when he was a boy at Hogwarts. If you'd told me then what he was going to become, I'd have said you'd had too much mead." **_

"I think this will be a good part to remind you on the don't judge till you have finished with the last book part." Al said suddenly with a stern voice.

"_Accio."_ Suddenly flew al wands int o Devona's hand. "Plus this will make sure o fit that you listen." She said.

_**"You don't know the half of it, Rosmerta," said Fudge gruffly. "The worst he did isn't widely known." **_

_**"The worst?" said Madam Rosmerta, her voice alive with curiosity. "Worse then murdering all those people, you mean?" **_

_**"I certainly do," said Fudge.**_

_**"I can't believe that. What could possibly be worse?" **_

_**"You say you remember him at Hogwarts, Rosmerta," murmured Professor McGonagall. "Do you remember who his best friend was?" **_

"Now that is something everyone knows." Bellatrix said as she looked over at James.

_**"Naturally," said Madam Rosmerta, with a small laugh. "Never saw one without the other, did you? The number of times I had them in here- ooh, they used to make me laugh. Quite the double act, Sirius Black and James Potter!" **_

_**Harry dropped his tankard with a clunk. Ron kicked him. **_

_**"Precisely," said Professor McGonagall. "Black and Potter. Ringleaders of their little gang. Both very bright, of course- exceptionally bright, in fact- but I don't think we've ever had such a pair of troublemakers-" **_

"To true…" everyone said in union.

_**"I dunno," chuckled Hagrid. "Fred and George Weasley could give 'em a run fer their money." **_

_**"You'd have thought Black and Potter were brothers!" chimed in Professor Flitwick. "Inseparable!" **_

Sirius and James grinned at each other again.

_**"Of course they were," said Fudge. "Potter trusted Black beyond all his other friends. Nothing changed when they left school. Black was best man when James married Lily. **_

"Wow, thanks mate." Sirius said touched.

_**Then they named him godfather to Harry. **_

"Yes, I knew that I was his godfather." Sirius yelled excited, but Petunia started trembling.

_**Harry has no idea, of course. You can imagine how the idea would torment him." **_

_**"Because Black turned out to be in league with You-Know-Who?" whispered Madam Rosmerta. **_

"And we are back to that rubbish." Bella snapped annoyed.

"True and this will continue on, but you all seem to have realized this part of the truth." Al said and Sirius smiled.

"So I'm trully innocent." At this the three adults nodded.

_**"Worse even than that, m'dear..." Fudge dropped his voice and proceeded in a sort of low rumble. "Not many people are aware that the Potters knew You-Know-Who was after them. Dumbledore, who was of course working tirelessly against You-Know-Who, had a number of useful spies. One of them tipped him off, and he alerted James and Lily at once.**_

Devona cast a sad smile at her father, but only Lucius noticed this.

_**He advised them to go into hiding. Well, of course, You-Know-Who wasn't an easy person to hide from. Dumbledore told them that their best chance was the Fidelius Charm." **_

"That is actually a good spell." Cygnus commented and the other adults nodded in agrement.

_**"How does that work?" said Madam Rosmerta, breathless with interest. Professor Flitwick cleared his throat. **_

_**"An immensely complex spell," he said squeakily, "involving the magical concealment of a secret inside a single, living soul. The information is hidden inside the chosen person, or Secret-Keeper, and is henceforth impossible to find- unless, of course, the Secret-Keeper choses to divulge it. As long as the Secret-Keeper refused to speak, You-Know-Who could search the village where Lily and James were staying for years and never find them, not even if he had his nose pressed against their sitting-room window!" **_

Petunia started paling and her body was shaking.

_**"So Black was the Potters' Secret-Keeper?" whispered Madam Rosmerta. **_

_**"Naturally," said Professor McGonagall. "James Potter told Dumbledore that Black would die rather then tell where they were, that Black was planning to go into hiding himself... **_

_**and yet, Dumbledore remained worried. I remember him offering to be the Potters' Secret-Keeper himself." **_

_**"He suspected Black?" gasped Madam Rosmerta. **_

_**"He was sure that somebody close to the Potters had been keeping You-Know-Who informed of their movements," said Professor McGonagall darkly. **_

"I wouldn't!" exclaimed Sirius angrily.

_**"Indeed, he had suspected for some time that someone on our side had turned traitor and was passing a lot of information to You-Know-Who." **_

_**"But James Potter insisted on using Black?" **_

_**"He did," said Fudge heavily. **_

_**"And then, barely a week after the Fidelius Charm had been performed-" **_

_**"Black betrayed them?" breathed Madam Rosmerta. **_

_**"Black betrayed them." **_

"THAT IS A LYE!" James, Regulus and Sirius screamed in union.

"Boys calm down, we were confirmed that Sirius didn't do it." Druella said even if she was burning on the inside from anger that someone dared to make eveyone believe her nephew was a murderer.

_**"He did indeed. Black was tired of his double-agent role, he was ready to declare his support openly for You-Know-Who, and he seemed to have planned this for the moment of the Potters' death. **_

_**But, as we all know, You-Know-Who met his downfall in little Harry Potter. Powers gone, horribly weakened, he fled. And this left Black in a very nasty position indeed. His master had fallen at the very moment when he, Black, had shown his true colours as a traitor. **_

Regulus hugged his brother to calm him, but what truly shocked Sirius was that his aunt also hugged him.

_**He had no choice but to run for it-" **_

_**"Filthy, stinkin' turncoat!" Hagrid said, so loudly that half the bar went quiet. **_

_**"Shh!" said Professor McGonagall. **_

_**"I met him!" growled Hagrid. "I musta bin the last ter see him before he killed all them people! It was me what rescued Harry from Lily an' James's house after they was killed! Jus' got him outta the ruins, poor little thing, with a great slash across his forehead, an' his parents dead... an' Sirius Black turns up, on that flyin' motorbike he used ter ride. Never occurred to me what he was doin' there. I didn' know he'd bin Lily an' James's Secret-Keeper. **_

Druella tightened her embrace around her nephew as she felt his body shaking.

_**Thought he'd jus' heard the news o' You-Know-Who's attack an' come ter see what he could do. White an' shakin', he was. An' yeh know what I did? I COMFORTED THE MURDERIN' TRAITOR!" Hagrid roared. **_

_**"Hagrid please!" said Professor McGonagall. "Keep your voice down!" **_

_**"How was I ter know he wasn' upset abou' Lily an' James? **_

"But I am!" exclaimed Sirius, tears forming in his eyes.

_**It was You-Know-Who he cared abou'! An' then he says, 'Give Harry ter me, Hagrid, I'm his godfather, I'll look after him-'**_

"Why the heck didn't Hagrid listen to Sirius?" James demanded.

"Dumbledore." Was Al's answer.

_**Ha! But I'd had me orders from Dumbledore, an' I told Black no, Dumbledore said Harry was ter go ter his aunt an' uncle's. **_

"Senile old bastard…" Severus muttered under his breath.

_**Black argued, but in the end he gave in. Told me ter take his motorbike ter get Harry there.'I won't need it anymore,' he says. **_

_**"I shoulda known there was somethin' fishy goin' on then. He loved that motorbike, what was he givin' it ter me for? **_

"I didi t becouse of Harry." Sirius snapped.

_**Why wouldn' he need it anymore? Fact was, it was too easy ter trace. Dumbledore knew he'd bin the Potters' Secret-Keeper. Black knew he was goin' ter have ter run fer it that night, knew it was a matter o' hours before the Ministry was after him. **_

_**"But what if I'd given Harry to him, eh? I bet he'd've pitched him off the bike halfway out ter sea. His bes' friend's son! **_

_**But when a wizard goes over ter the Dark Side, there's nothin' and no one that matters to 'em any more..." **_

"Hagrid is really asking for it that I go on a rather unpleasant visit to his hut." Scorpius growled.

"Scorp calm down." Al said.

"But…he is just saying the same! They all think if you go on the dark side you atre a heartles beast _they all thought that about my grandparentssss my parentssss, Devsss'sss father. My family went through Hell and my grandfather sssstill sssuffersss…" _Scorpius yelled the second part in Parseltongue till Devona put a silencing charm on him.

"I will take it of when you are calmed down Scorpius. Believe me I know how you feel more then anyone, but keep your temper down." Devona told him and the blonde nodded while Severus was looking at them nervously, he perfectly understood what Scorpius said and it made him nervous.

_**A long silence followed Hagrid's story. Then Madam Rosmerta said with some satisfaction, "But he didn't manage to disappear, did he? The Ministry of Magic caught up with him the next day!" **_

_**"Alas, if only we had," said Fudge bitterly. "It was not we who found him. It was little Peter Pettigrew- another of the Potters' friends.**_

Everyone was staring wede eyed at Peter who paled.

_**Maddened by grief, no doubt, and knowing that Black had been the Potters' Secret-Keeper, he went after Black himself." **_

_**"Pettigrew... that little fat boy who was always tagging around after them at Hogwarts?" said Madam Rosmerta. **_

_**"Hero-worshipped Black and Potter," said Professor McGonagall. "Never quite in their league, talent-wise. I was often rather sharp with him. You can imagine how I- how I regret that now..." She sounded as though she had a sudden head cold. **_

Peter blushed a bit at her words.

_**"There, now, Minerva," said Fudge kindly. "Pettigrew died a hero's death. **_

"I WHAT!" Peter screamed in panic.

_**Eye-witnesses- Muggles, of course, we wiped their memories later- told us how Pettigrew cornered Black. They say he was sobbing. 'Lily and James, Sirius! How could you!' And then he went for his wand. Well, of course, Black was quicker. Blew Pettigrew to smithereens..." **_

Sirius buried his face in his hands. "Even if I know that this isn't true, buti t still hurts to hear what they were thinking about me…"

_**Professor McGonagall blew her nose and said thickly, "Stupid boy... foolish boy... he was always hopeless at duelling... should have left it to the Ministry..." **_

_**"I tell yeh, if I'd got ter Black before little Pettigrew did, I wouldn't've messed around with wands- I'd've ripped him limb- from- limb," Hagrid growled. **_

Everyone shuddered.

"I wouldn't allow you to touch my brother." Regulus said in a threatening tone which made Sirius blush and the others chuckle half-heartedly.

_**"You don't know what you're talking about, Hagrid," said Fudge sharply. "Nobody but trained Hit Wizards from the Magical Law Enforcement Squad would have stood a chance against Black once he was cornered. I was Junior Minister in the Department of Magical Catastrophes at the time, and I was one of the first on the scene after Black murdered all those people. I- I will never forget it. I still dream about it sometimes. A crater in the middle of the street, so deep it had cracked the sewer below. Bodies everywhere. Muggles screaming. And Black standing there laughing, with what was left of Pettigrew in front of him... a heap of blood-stained robes and a few- a few fragments-" **_

_**Fudge's voice stopped abruptly. There was the sound of five noses being blown. **_

_**"Well, there you have it Rosmerta," said Fudge thickly. "Black was taken away by twenty members of the Magical Law Enforcement Patrol and Pettigrew received the order of Merlin, First Class, which I think was some comfort to his poor mother. Black's been in Azkaban ever since." **_

_**Madam Rosmerta let out a long sigh. **_

_**"Is it true he's mad, Minister?" **_

_**"I wish I could say that he was," said Fudge slowly. "I certainly believe his master's defeat unhinged him for a while. **_

"HE WAS NOT MY MASTER!" shouted Sirius.

_**The murder of Pettigrew and all those Muggles was in the action of a cornered and desperate man- cruel... pointless. Yet I met Black on my last inspection of Azkaban. You know, most of the prisoners in there sit muttering to themselves in the dark, there's no sense in them... but I was shocked at how **__**normal**__** Black seemed. He spoke quite rationally to me. It was unnerving. You'd have thought he was merely bored- asked if I'd finished with my newspaper, cool as you please, said he missed doing the crosswords. Yes, I was astounded at how little effect the Dementors seemed to be having on him- and he was one of the most heavily guarded in the place, you know. Dementors outside his door, day and night." **_

Sirius shivered while the other Blacks glared at the book in anger.

_**"But what do you think he's broken out to do?" said Madam Rosmerta. "Good gracious, Minister, he isn't trying to rejoin You-Know-Who, is he?" **_

_**"I daresay that is his- er- eventual plan," said Fudge evasively. But we hope to catch Black long before that. I must say, You-Know-Who alone and friendless is one thing... **_

_**but give him back his most devoted servant, and I shudder to think how quickly he'll rise again..." **_

_**There was a small chink of glass on wood. Someone had set down their glass. **_

_**"You know, Cornelius, if you're dining with the Headmaster, we'd better head back up to the castle," said Professor McGonagall. **_

_**One by one, the pairs of feet in front of Harry took the weight of their owners once more; hems of cloaks swung into sight and Madam Rosmerta's glittering heels disappeared behind the bar. The door of the Three Broomsticks opened again, there was another flurry of snow, and the teachers disappeared. **_

_**"Harry?" **_

_**Ron and Hermione's faces appeared under the table. They were both staring at him, lost for words. **_

There was a loud silence.

"I think I will read the next chapter for the book's shake." Al said ina n amused tone as he looked over at his grandfather.

_To be continued…_


	12. James sit! The Firebolt

A/N: After a long hiatus here is the new chapter…

XII. James sit! _The Firebolt_

* * *

Looking down at the next chapter Al glanced over to his two friends who nodded in understanding before Devona used a full body-bind curse on James and Scorpius silenced him.

"What the…" Sirius started, but Al ignored him.

"The next title is, _**The Firebolt**_."

"Forget about what I wanted to ask." Sirius said as they all stared at the wiggling James on the ground who tried desperately to cheer in complete delight.

"Seeing what you did to my son I would guess the title is the name of a broom." Alphonse said as all three professors nodded before Al started reading.

_**Harry didn't have a very clear idea of how he had managed to get back into the Honedukes cellar, through the tunnel and into the castle once more. All he knew was that the return trip seemed to take no time at all, and that he hardly noticed what he was doing, because his head was still pounding with the conversation he had just heard. Why had nobody ever told him? Dumbledore, Hagrid, Mr Weasley, Cornelius Fudge... why hadn't anyone ever mentioned the fact that Harry's parents had died because their best friend had betrayed them? **_

"Because Potters can't control they temper and always need a friend by they side to hold them back." Scorpius commented grinning.

"And the same goes for Malfoys to…" Devona gave in smirking as she looked at her two blushing friends.

"It is in a way interesting to see no fights between everyone." Daria said smiling.

"I agree dear." Allana answered, she really started to like the other woman.

_**Ron and Hermione watched Harry nervously all through dinner, not daring to talk about what they'd overheard, because Percy was sitting close by them. When they went upstairs to the crowded common room, it was to find Fred and George had set off half-a-dozen Dungbombs in a fit of end-of-term high spirits. **_

There were some chuckles and disapproving looks, but the things they have read in the last chapter still nagged on they souls well at least on most of they souls.

_**Harry, who didn't want Fred and George asking him whether he'd reached Hogsmeade or not, sneaked quietly up to the empty dormitory, and headed straight for his bedside cabinet. He pushed his books aside and quickly found what he was looking for- the leather-bound photo album Hagrid had given him two years ago, which was full of wizard pictures of his mother and father. **_

"That was a really sweet idea of him." Allana said with a sad smile seeing that her grandson had only photos left from his family.

"I truly agree." Daria agreed, she herself had also many photo albums about all family events or spontaneously taken pictures about normal happenings in the family.

_**He sat down on his bed, drew the hangings around him, and started turning the pages, searching, until... He stopped on a picture of his parents' wedding day. There was his father waving up at him, beaming, the untidy black hair Harry had inherited**_

"The poor dear…" Allana commented as she looked pitying at both her husband and son, who was free again.

"ALLANA/MOM!" yelled both Potter men in union while the others broke out laughing.

_**standing up in all directions. There was his mother, alight with happiness, arm in arm with his Dad. And there... that must be him. Their best man... Harry had never given him a thought before. **_

_**If he hadn't known it was the same person, he would never have guessed it was Black in this old photograph.**_

"And here comes again the part which you hate Sirius." Al commented to prepare the boy for that what will come.

_**His face wasn't sunken and waxy,**_

Sirius flinched at the image again while his aunt let out a gasp wrapping her arms around her nephew. He was just like her oldest daughter and brother-in-law Alphard blasted from the family tree, but she couldn't help it they were her family and the knowledge what happened to Sirius she couldn't pretend to not care about him he was still a child. Cygnus meanwhile put a reassuring hand on the boy's shoulder, it was time for him and his sister to have a chat with each other he really started to regret that he had so quickly broken all contact to Alphard and it pained him in a way that the same had happened by his three daughters as by him and his siblings expect one thing Alphard was death and he could only make amends while standing by his grave, but Andromeda was still alive and had a healthy daughter, his granddaughter. It was really time for him to act up to the noble name Black as oldest living male Black.

Sirius was also confused somewhat, his little brother suddenly caring was strangely not shocking to him, but his aunt and…it was a strange feeling to have other adults in the family beside his deceased uncle on his side to comfort him.

_**but handsome, full of laughter. Had he already been working for Voldemort when this picture had been taken? **_

"My brother would never work for him." Regulus growled in anger.

"Really nice little cousin you are showing character." Bella commented after a long while as she ruffled the boy's black hair making the three professors looked at them wistfully, but only Lucius noticed who could since a while not take his gaze of the unlikely trio.

_**Was he planning the deaths of the two people next to him? Did he realise he was facing twelve years in Azkaban, twelve years which would make him unrecognisable? **_

A new groan from Sirius.

_**But the Dementors don't affect him, **__**Harry thought, staring into the handsome, laughing face. **__**He doesn't have to hear my Mum screaming if they get too close- **_

Most of the girls were near tears again while the boys stared angrily at the ground everyone of them thinking the same "_this is not fair"_. The three teachers were on the other hand looking at the book. After a while Al continued.

_**Harry slammed the album shut, reached over and stuffed it back into his cabinet, took off his robes and glasses and got into bed, making sure the hangings were hiding him from view. **_

_**The dormitory door opened. **_

_**"Harry?" said Ron's voice uncertainly. **_

_**But Harry lay still, pretending to be asleep. He heard Ron leave again, and rolled over on his back, his eyes wide open. A hatred such as he never known before was coursing through Harry like poison. **_

"HARRY!" James yelled in shock.

"Don't worry that hatred vanished fully after my father found out the truth." Al said before smirking. "Through you might want to know that he felt rather ashamed for you guys for the way you threatened Devona's dad." He added making both James and Sirius stare guiltily at the ground.

_**He could see Black laughing at him through the darkness, as though somebody had pasted the picture from the album over his eyes. **_

_**He watched, as though somebody was playing him a piece of film, Sirius Black blasting Peter Pettigrew (who resembled Neville Longbottom)**_

At this stared everyone strangely at the three professors who broke out in to a coughing fit from they shock.

"_I really need to talk with dad about that one" _Al said to his two friends per Ligilemency.

"_We really agree, but now continue." _Devona answered back.

"Is something wrong you three?" Alice asked.

"Nothing…" Scorpius said hurriedly.

_**into a thousand pieces. He could hear (though he had no idea what Black's voice might sound like) a low, excited mutter. "It has happened, my Lord... the Potters have made me their Secret-Keeper..." **_

"That boy has a really to productive fantasy…" Frank commented.

"Dad says the same about himself." Al said laughing.

_**And then came another voice, laughing shrilly, the same laugh that Harry heard inside his head whenever the Dementors drew near... **_

_**"Harry, you- you look terrible." **_

_**Harry hadn't got to sleep until daybreak. He had awoken to find the dormitory deserted, dressed, and gone down the spiral staircase to a common room that was completely empty except for Ron, who was eating a Peppermint Toad and massaging his stomach, and Hermione, who had spread her homework over three tables. **_

_**"Where is everyone?" said Harry. **_

_**"Gone! It's the first day of the holidays, remember?" said Ron, watching Harry closely. "It's nearly lunchtime, I was going to come and wake you up in a minute." **_

_**Harry slumped into a chair next to the fire. Snow was still falling outside the windows. Crookshanks was spread out in front of the fire like a large, ginger rug. **_

_**"You really don't look well, you know," Hermione said, peering anxiously into his face. **_

_**"I'm fine," said Harry. **_

"I so can't even count how often I have already heard that sentence plus the times when I needed to levitate or to drag you two to the hospital wing after hearing that sentence." Devona said glaring at her two friends who were grinning sheepishly at her.

"Know what you mean." answered both Severus and Remus in union.

_**"Harry, listen," said Hermione, exchanging a look with Ron, "you must be really upset about what we heard yesterday. But the thing is, you mustn't go doing anything stupid." **_

_**"Like what?" said Harry. **_

_**"Like trying to go after Black," said Ron sharply. **_

"She needed some time to learn that telling this to a Potter is like as if you would talk to a stone…" Al commented.

"Yo three have then also gone through some rough things." Aractus said.

"What do you think with a Potter and a Malfoy as friends…" Devona said sighing. "One a real magnet for trouble and the other getting to easily in to trouble sometimes I really thought that I will have to carry them back in match boxes." she said while shaking her head.

"Sorry Devs." Scorpius commented as both he and Al hugged the girl before Al continued reading.

_**Harry could tell they had rehearsed this conversation while he had been sleeping. He didn't say anything. **_

_**"You won't, will you, Harry?" said Hermione. **_

_**"Because Black's not worth dying for," said Ron. **_

"HEY!" screamed the Marauders together with the six Blacks and James's father.

"RONALD!" Molly shrieked.

_**Harry looked at them. They didn't seem to understand at all. **_

_**"D'you know what I see and hear every time a Dementor gets too near me?" Ron and Hermione shook their heads, looking apprehensive. "I can hear my mum screaming and pleading with Voldemort. And if you'd heard your mum screaming like that, just about to be killed, you wouldn't forget it in a hurry. And if you found out someone who was supposed to be a friend of hers betrayed her and sent Voldemort after her-" **_

At this lost both Lily and Petunia they fight against they tears burying they heads in to they mother's embrace and crying.

_**"There's nothing you can do!" said Hermione, looking stricken. "The Dementors will catch Black and he'll go back to Azkaban and- and serve him right!"**_

_**"You heard what Fudge said. Black isn't affected by Azkaban like normal people are. It's not a punishment for him like it is for the others." **_

_**"So what are you saying?" said Ron, looking very tense. "You want to- to kill Black or something?" **_

_**"Don't be silly," said Hermione in a panicky voice. "Harry doesn't want to kill anyone, do you, Harry?" **_

_**Again, Harry didn't answer. He didn't know what he wanted to do. All he knew was that the idea of doing nothing, while Black was at liberty, was almost more than he could stand. **_

_**"Malfoy knows," he said abruptly. "Remember what he said to me in Potions? 'If it was me, I'd hunt him down myself... I'd want revenge.'" **_

_**"You're going to take Malfoy's advice instead of ours?" said Ron furiously.**_

"He still can't stand my family." Scorpius commented.

"And I have already told you Scorp that I don't care what my family says you are my best friend and that will never change." Al answered eyes not leaving the book.

"You know that it is strange to hear a Potter saying this to a Malfoy." Allana whispered to Daria.

"I agree with you, but at least are these childish rivalries over." Daria whispered back.

"Yes finally some peace."

_**"Listen... you know what Pettigrew's mother got back after Black finished with him? Dad told me- the Order of Merlin, First Class, and Pettigrew's finger in a box. That was the biggest bit of him they could find. **_

Hearing this threw Remus a look at Severus who was likely to notice as him that Ron's pet rat Scabbers was also missing a toe. The blackheads nod confirmed that he had also noticed and tried to figure out what that meant, but a strange bitter taste started to form in Remus's mouth, but he didn't understand why.

_**Black's a madman, Harry, and he's dangerous-" **_

_**"Malfoy's dad must have told him," said Harry, ignoring Ron. "He was right in Voldemort's inner circle-" **_

"WHAT!" shrieked Daria in pure anger as the other parents gasped in shock, Lucius meanwhile his himself behind Severus in fear, but was soon shocked when his mother drew her wand, but anstead of using it on him she pointed it at the throat of his father who stared at her in shock.

"This is all your and your damned bastards of a father's fault Abraxas." the usually silent and fragile looking woman hissed in pure anger soft voice dripping from venom and hatred which made everyone shudder in horror. "If you still want that to see your son or me again you WILL tell that senile bastard THAT he should KEEP his filthy hands AWAY from MY son…" she threatened before drawing her wand away and sitting farther away from her husband who was still staring in horror not moving.

"Mom…" Lucius started in both shock and awe that his mother stood so up against his father.

"Lucius after these holydays are over please come with Severus together to the Rosier manor in Whitechapel we will be residing there till your father spoke with the bastard you need to call your grandfather; I will have moved our things there already when you return." Daria said in a firm tone as both boys nodded, no one dared to say something so Al continued while watching Scorpius out of the corner of his eyes who was still staring with awe at his great-grandmother.

_**"Say You-Know-Who, will you?"**__** interjected Ron angrily. **_

_**"-so obviously, the Malfoys knew Black was working for Voldemort-" **_

_**"-and Malfoy would love to see you blown into about a million pieces, like Pettigrew! Get a grip, Malfoy's just hoping you'll get yourself killed before he has to play you at Quidditch." **_

"Okey I only want to confirm this yes my father was a complet git back then, but he would never want such a thing." Scorpius said angrily, he knew how much the memories of his father's last two years tormented him still in his nightmares.

_**"Harry, please," said Hermione, her eyes now shining with tears, "please be sensible. Black did a terrible, terrible thing, but d-don't put yourself in danger, it's what Black wants... oh, Harry, you'd be playing right into Black's hands if you went looking for him. Your mum and dad wouldn't want you to get hurt, would they? They'd never want you to go looking for Black!" **_

New tears were forming in the eyes of the ones in the room.

_**"I'll never know what they'd have wanted because, thanks to Black, I've never spoken to them," said Harry shortly. **_

Sirius wanted to scream to cry, but anstead he staid silent the embrace of his family still around him not letting go for which he was grateful.

_**There was a silence, in which Crookshanks stretched luxuriously, flexing his claws. Ron's pocket quivered. **_

_**"Look," said Ron, obviously casting around for a change of subject, "it's the holidays! It's nearly Christmas! Let's- let's go down and see Hagrid. We haven't visited him for ages!" **_

_**"No!" said Hermione quickly. "Harry isn't supposed to leave the castle, Ron-" **_

_**"Yeah, let's go," said Harry, sitting up, "and I can ask him how come he never mentioned Black when he told me about my parents!" **_

_**Further discussion of Sirius Black plainly wasn't what Ron had had in mind. **_

_**"Or we could have a game of chess," he said hastily, "or Gobstones. Percy left a set-" **_

_**"No, let's visit Hagrid," said Harry firmly. **_

_**So they got their cloaks from their dormitories and set off through the portrait hole ("Stand and fight, you yellow-bellied mongrels!"),**_

A few little snickers left everyones lips.

_**down through the empty castle and out through the oak front doors. **_

_**They made their way slowly down the lawn, making a shallow trench in the glittering, powdery snow, their socks and the hems of their cloaks soaked and freezing. The Forbidden Forest looked as though it had been enchanted, each tree smattered with silver, and Hagrid's cabin looked like an iced cake. **_

_**Ron knocked, but there was no answer. **_

_**"He's not out, is he?" said Hermione, who was shivering under her cloak. **_

_**Ron had his ear to the door. **_

_**"There's a weird noise," he said. "Listen- is that Fang?" **_

_**Harry and Hermione put their ears to the door, too. From inside the cabin came a series of low, throbbing moans. **_

"Hopefully is everything ok." Alice said after Lily stopped crying and pulled away from her mother to nod in agreement with her best friend.

_**"Think we'd better go and get someone?" said Ron nervously. **_

_**"Hagrid!" Harry called, thumping the door. "Hagrid, are you in there?" **_

_**There was a sound of heavy footsteps, then the door creaked open. Hagrid stood there with his eyes red and swollen; tears splashing down the front of his leather waistcoat. **_

_**"Yeh've heard!" he bellowed, and he flung himself onto Harry's neck. **_

They looked at each other, confused.

"Ugh…it hurts when he does that…" Scorpius said flinching as he remembered when Hagrid did a similar thing with him while wailing and apologizing for acting in prejustice against him because of his family, Devona was more lucky with her mother standing between her and Hagrid so stopping him from accidentally breaking her daughter's ribs. No one would dare to step up in any way against the stern witch.

_**Hagrid being at least twice the size of a normal man, this was no laughing matter.**_

"We all agree." said everyone who knew Hagrid well except Abraxas who was still shock frozen.

_**Harry, about to collapse under Hagrid's weight, was rescued by Ron and Hermione, who each seized Hagrid under an arm and heaved him, Harry helping, back into the cabin. **_

_**Hagrid allowed himself to be steered into a chair and slumped over the table, sobbing uncontrollably, his face glazed with tears which dripped into his tangled beard. **_

_**"Hagrid, what is it?" said Hermione, aghast. **_

_**Harry spotted an official-looking letter lying open on the table. **_

_**"What's this, Hagrid?" **_

_**Hagrid's sobs redoubled, but he shoved the letter towards Harry, who picked it up and read aloud: **_

_**Dear Mr Hagrid, **_

_**Further to our inquiry into the attack by a Hippogriff on a student in your class, **_

_**we have accepted the assurances of Professor Dumbledore that you bear no responsibility for the regrettable incident. **_

_**"Well, that's OK, then, Hagrid!" said Ron, clapping Hagrid on the shoulder. But Hagrid continued to sob, and waved one of his gigantic hands, inviting Harry to read on. **_

_**However, we must register our concern about the Hippogriff in question. We have decided to uphold the official complaint of Mr Lucius Malfoy, and this matter will therefore be taken to the Committee for the **__**Disposal of Dangerous Creatures. **_

"Ugh…I'm starting to really hate myself…even if it was because my son got injured…because of his own idiotic…" Lucius groaned already dreading to know what stands further in the letter.

"Don't worry you have changed rater much and I really enjoy your company." Al said smiling and this was the truth he considered the current Malfoy patriarch as something like a third grandfather.

"Thanks." the blonde answered smiling.

_**The hearing will take place on April 20th, and we ask you to present yourself and your Hippogriff at the Committee's offices in London on that date. In the meantime, the Hippogriff should be kept tethered and isolated. **_

_**Yours in fellowship... **_

_**There followed a list of the school governors. **_

_**"Oh," said Ron. "But you said Buckbeak isn't a bad Hippogriff, Hagrid. I bet he'll get off-" **_

_**"Yeh don' know them gargoyles at the Committee fer the Disposal o' Dangerous Creatures!" choked Hagrid, wiping his eyes on his sleeve. "They've got it in fer interestin' creatures!" **_

_**A sudden sound from the corner of Hagrid's cabin made Harry, Ron and Hermione whip around. Buckbeak the Hippogriff was lying in the corner, chomping on something that was oozing blood all over the floor. **_

_**"I couldn' leave him tied up out there in the snow!" choked Hagrid. "All on his own! At Christmas!" **_

_**Harry, Ron and Hermione looked at each other. They had never seen eye to eye with Hagrid about what he called "interesting creatures" and other people called "terrifying monsters". On the other hand, there didn't seem to be any particular harm in Buckbeak. In fact, by Hagrid's standards, he was positively cute. **_

"True" said the kids in union which made they parents exchange nervous glances with each other.

_**"You'll have to put up a good strong defence, Hagrid," said Hermione, sitting down and laying a hand on Hagrid's massive forearm. "I'm sure you can prove Buckbeak is safe." **_

_**"Won' make no diff'rence!" sobbed Hagrid. "Them Disposal devils, they're all in Lucius Malfoy's pocket! Scared o' him! **_

Hearing this Lucius really couldn't help himself as to allow a little smirk to grace his pale lips at the thought.

"Oh please…are they all acting like Amos Digory?" Sirius asked in shock.

The current captain of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team was a really great player and also brave till he is faced with Lucius Malfoy then he needs usually sic people to hold him down so that he doesn't turn around and dash away screaming in panic. Everyone was still trying to figure out what the blonde could have done to him to make him fear him so much and what was the most confusing, even Lucius didn't remember dong something to him and he usually kept track on such things even with lists.

_**An' if I lose the case, Buckbeak-" **_

_**Hagrid drew his finger swiftly across his throat, then gave a great wail and lurched forwards, his face in his arms. **_

_**"What about Dumbledore, Hagrid," said Harry. **_

Al was desperately trying to hold back a snort.

_**"He's done more'n enough fer me already," groaned Hagrid. "Got enough on his plate what with keepin' them Dementors outta the castle, an' Sirius Black lurkin' around -" **_

_**Ron and Hermione looked quickly at Harry, as though expecting him to start berating Hagrid for not telling him the truth about Black. But Harry couldn't bring himself to do it, not now he saw Hagrid so miserable and scared. **_

_**"Listen, Hagrid," he said, "you can't give up. Hermione's right, you just need a good defence. You can call us as witnesses-" **_

_**"I'm sure I've read about a case of Hippogriff-baiting," said Hermione thoughtfully, "where the Hippogriff got off. I'll look it up for you, Hagrid, and see what happened." **_

_**Hagrid howled still more loudly. Harry and Hermione looked at Ron to help them. **_

_**"Er- shall I make a cup of tea?" said Ron. **_

_**Harry stared at him. **_

_**"It's what my mum does whenever someone's upset," Ron muttered, shrugging. **_

Molly blushed at this.

_**At last, after many more assurances of help, with a steaming mug of tea in front of him, Hagrid blew his nose on a handkerchief the size of a tablecloth and said, "Yer right. I can' afford to go ter pieces. Gotta pull meself together..." **_

_**Fang the boarhound came timidly out from under the table and laid his head in Hagrid's knee. **_

_**"I've not bin meself lately," said Hagrid, stroking Fang with one hand and mopping his face with the other. "Worried abou' Buckbeak, an' no one likin' me classes-" **_

_**"We do like them!" lied Hermione at once. **_

_**"Yeah, they're great!" said Ron, crossing his fingers under the table. **_

_**"Er- how are the Flobberworms?" **_

_**"Dead," said Hagrid gloomily. "Too much lettuce." **_

_**"Oh, no!" said Ron, his lip twitching. **_

"I think I just found the perfect birthday present for your uncle Al." Scorpius said with a typical Malfoy grin on his lips.

"I agree." Al said with an evil smirk of him own while Devona only shook her head about they childishness.

"It is really scary, but that boy would have really made a perfect Slytherin…" Alphonse commented to his son who nodded in agreement.

_**"An' them Dementors make me feel ruddy terrible an' all," said Hagrid with a sudden shudder. "Gotta walk past 'em ev'ry time I want a drink in the Three Broomsticks. 'S like bein' back in Azkaban-" **_

"WHEN IN THE NAME OF MERLIN'S BEARD WAS HAGRID IN AZKABAN!" Alphonse yelled in shock.

"Erm…Harry's second year…" James said.

"Let me guess "long story"…" Allana said hands on her hips as she looked at the grinning children.

"Correct mom."

_**He fell silent, gulping his tea. Harry, Ron and Hermione watched him breathlessly. They had never heard Hagrid talk about his brief spell in Azkaban before. After a brief pause, Hermione said timidly, "Is it awful in there, Hagrid?" **_

_**"Yeh've no idea," said Hagrid quietly. "Never bin anywhere like it. Thought I was goin' mad. Kep' goin' over horrible stuff in me mind... the day I got expelled from Hogwarts... day me Dad died... day I had ter let Norbert go..." **_

"Who is Norbert?" Cygnus asked confused making the kids glump.

"You will find out right away." Al said smiling.

**His eyes filled with tears. Norbert was the baby dragon Hagrid had once won in a game of cards. **

"WHAT!" the adults screamed and then went in to a lengthy explaining to the Evans family that most mythical creatures about which you can hear in myths are really actually existing creatures.

Meanwhile looked the kids and the three professors amused at the Dursley siblings who were listening with horror to the explanation.

_**"Yeh can' really remember who yeh are after a while. An' yeh can' see the point o' livin' at all. I used ter hope I'd jus' die in me sleep... **_

Sirius felt his brother and aunt hugging him again tightly as he shook in fear while the others fought they own tears and fear as to how terrible it must have been to spend there twelve years. Sirius then suddenly felt a new person embracing him and nearly fainted when he saw that it was Bellatrix.

"Bella…" he said shocked.

"Don't worry cousin the person who tries to take you to Azkaban will not know what had hit them when I'm done with them." she said grinning darkly and the three teachers exchanged confused looks.

"Is something wrong?" Andromeda asked as she noticed they looks.

"No nothing it is only that she reminded us suddenly on someone we know." Scorpius said.

"To be more accurate a shared cousin from the both of us." Al said as he looked over to his best friend.

"And in which way can we understand that?" James said with a raised eyebrow.

"You see Teddy the man you met not long ago is Scorpius's cousin and since he married Victorie who is my cousin we are now related." Al said grinning.

"WHAT!" screamed the Potter, Malfoy, Black and Weasley family in shock.

"WE ARE GETTING RELATED!" James and Lucius yelled in union while pointing at each other before fainting.

"Yep."

"And as the missing part of the explanation those two have a daughter she is a sixth year Ravenclaw perfect. Her full name is Bellatrix Nymphadora Lupin." Devona explained.

"Before you ask we will explain the name choosing after the last book." Scorpius said quickly before someone could ask something nudging Al to continue reading hurriedly.

_**when they let me out, it was like bein' born again, ev'rythin' came floodin' back, it was the bes' feelin' in the world. Mind, the Dementors weren't keen on lettin' me go." **_

_**"But you were innocent!" said Hermione. **_

_**Hagrid snorted. **_

_**"Think that matters to them? They don' care. Long as they've got a couple o' hundred humans stuck there with 'em, so they can leech all the happiness out of 'em, they don' give a damn who's guilty an' who's not." **_

Everyone shuddered at this.

"In such cases I often wonder which is worse the normal Dementors or the Dementors of Tartharos." Scorpius asked no one in practicular.

"What are those?" Molly asked.

"Dementors created by Voldemort himself "the adults shuddered "these don't suck away the happiness from they victims they do something much worse…they show you the last war with all the blood, death, misery and sorrow which is bound to it to torment you." Scorpius said in a sad tone.

"The Patronus spell can't defend you from them only this… _Expecto Patronum Expellos_" Al called as suddenly a silver cobra appeared suddenly growing in size the teeth holding the venom growing more dangerous.

"A snake patronus?" Alphonse asked in shock.

"Yes." Al said smiling as with a new wave of his wand the snake disappeared.

"Those Dementors also sound dangerous." Narcissa said in a scared tone.

"Yes they are." Devona said.

_**Hagrid went quiet for a moment, staring into his tea. Then he said quietly, "Thought o' jus' lettin' Buckbeak go ... tryin' ter make him fly away ... but how d'yeh explain ter a Hippogriff it's gotta go inter hidin'? An'- an' I'm scared o' breakin' the law..." he looked up at them, tears leaking down his face again. "I don' ever want ter go back ter Azkaban."**_

"No one wants to go there…"

_**The trip to Hagrid's, though far from fun, had nevertheless had the effect Ron and Hermione had hoped. Though Harry had by no means forgotten about Black, he couldn't brood constantly on revenge if he wanted to help Hagrid win his case against the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures. He, Ron and Hermione went to the library next day, and returned to the empty common room laden with books which might help prepare a defence for Buckbeak. **_

_**The three of them sat in front of the roaring fire, slowly turning the pages of dusty volumes about famous cases of marauding beasts, speaking occasionally when they ran across something relevant. **_

_**"Here's something... there was a case in 1722...but the Hippogriff was convicted- urgh, look what they did to it, that's disgusting -" **_

"You tell me…I took NEWT class History of Magic plus my dad is leading the Department of Magical Law Enforcements together with Al's aunt Hermione so I know all these things." Scorpius said in a pained tone.

"You really took Magical History as NEWT CLASS!" yelled both James and Sirius in shock.

"Yes I liked that class." Scorpius said.

"You liked it, Scorp need I to remind you that Professor Bin's called you "colleague" since our third year." Al said teasingly to his blushing friend who glared at him in a playful manner.

"That is wonderful." Narcissa said smiling proudly at her grandson.

_**"This might help, look- a Manticore savaged someone in 1296, and they let the Manticore off- oh- no, that was only because everyone was too scared to go near it..." **_

"No one is dumb enough to get near a Manticore." Remus said, but then threw a side glance at James and Sirius who didn't notice, but Lucius and Severus did and couldn't help themselves as to snigger.

_**Meanwhile, in the rest of the castle, the usual magnificent Christmas decorations had been put up, despite the fact that hardly any of the students remained to enjoy them. **_

_**Thick streamers of holly and mistletoe were strung along the corridors, mysterious lights shone from inside every suit of armour and the Great Hall was filled with its usual twelve Christmas trees, glittering with golden stars. A powerful and delicious smell of cooking pervaded the corridors, and by Christmas Eve, it had grown so strong that even Scabbers poked his nose out of the shelter of Ron's pocket to sniff hopefully at the air. **_

_**On Christmas morning, Harry was woken by Ron throwing his pillow at him. **_

_**"Oy! Presents!" **_

_**Harry reached for his glasses and put them on, squinting through the semi-darkness to the foot of the bed, where a small heap of parcels had appeared. **_

Lily and James beamed.

_**Ron was already ripping the paper off his own presents. **_

_**"Another jumper from Mum... maroon again... see if you've got one." **_

_**Harry had. Mrs Weasley had knitted him a scarlet jumper with the Gryffindor lion knitted on the front, also a dozen home-baked mince pies, some Christmas cake and a box of nut brittle. **_

"Molly you are wonderful!" Lily said with teary eyes as she flung her arms around the older girl.

"A great jumper idea." James said.

"Yes grandmum makes great jumpers." Al said as he looked over at both Devona and Scorpius.

"From that look I'm considering that she makes you also some." Remus said.

"Yes since second year I don't even know where to put al of them and since she shoved grandma how to knit makes she beside sweets scarf's for everyone in the family and the ones considered as such." Scorpius said.

"She can bake!" exclaimed both Lucius and Severus in a shocked tone.

"LUCIUS, SEVERUS!" Narcissa yelled.

"Yep and her bakery is a real concurrent to grandma's backings." Al said as the ones knowing how Molly's works tasted stared at the three adults in awe.

_**As he moved all these things aside, he saw a long, thin package lying underneath. **_

James eyes suddenly widened in excitement.

_**"What's that?" said Ron, looking over, a freshly unwrapped pair of maroon socks in his hand. **_

_**"Dunno..." **_

_**Harry ripped the parcel open and gasped as a magnificent gleaming broomstick rolled out onto his bedspread. **_

"Alphonse and James Potter stop immediately with the drooling." Allana said in a scolding tone.

_**Ron dropped his socks and jumped off his bed for a closer look. **_

_**"I don't believe it," he said hoarsely. **_

_**It was a Firebolt, identical to the dream broom Harry had gone to see every day in Diagon Alley. Its handle glittered as he picked it up. He could feel it vibrating, and let go; it hung in mid-air, unsupported, at exactly the right height for him to mount it. His eyes moved from the golden registration number at the top of the handle right down to the perfectly smooth, streamlined birch twigs that made up the tail. **_

_**"Who sent it to you?" said Ron in a hushed voice. **_

_**"Look and see if there's a card," said Harry. **_

_**Ron ripped apart the Firebolt wrappings. **_

_**"Nothing! Blimey, who'd spent that much on you?" **_

_**"Well," said Harry, feeling stunned. "I'm betting it wasn't the Dursleys." **_

At this broke most of the kids out in to hysterical laughter at the mental image of the three Dursleys in Diagon Alley buying a broom for they nephew.

_**"I bet it was Dumbledore," said Ron, now walking round and round the Firebolt, taking in every glorious inch. "He sent you the Invisibility Cloak anonymously..." **_

_**"That was me Dad's, though," said Harry. "Dumbledore was just passing it on to me. He wouldn't spent hundreds of Galleons on me. He can't just go giving students stuff like this-" **_

_**"That's why he wouldn't say it's from him!" said Ron. "In case some git like Malfoy said it was favouritism. Hey, Harry-" Ron gave a great whoop of laughter, "Malfoy! Wait 'til he sees you on this! He'll be as sick as a pig! This is an international-standard broom, this is!" **_

Al rolled his eyes in annoyance before continuing.

_**"I can't believe this," Harry muttered, running a hand along the Firebolt, while Ron sank onto Harry's bed, laughing his head off at the thought of Malfoy. "Who-?" **_

_**"I know," said Ron, controlling himself. "I know who it could've been- Lupin!" **_

"Don't think so." Remus said.

_**"What?" said Harry, now starting to laugh himself. "Lupin? Listen, if he had this much gold, he'd be able to buy himself some new robes." **_

_**"Yeah, but he likes you," said Ron. "And he was away when your Nimbus got smashed, **_

"Yes because I know how his father would have acted." Remus said while pointing to his left where James let out a miserable sounding whine.

_**and he might've heard about it and decided to visit Diagon Alley and get this for you-" **_

_**"What d'you mean he was away?" said Harry. "He was ill when I was playing in that match." **_

_**"Well, he wasn't in the hospital wing," said Ron. "I was there, cleaning out the bedpans on that detention from Snape, remember?" **_

"Uh oh…"

_**Harry frowned at Ron. **_

_**"I can't see Lupin affording something like this." **_

_**"What're you two laughing about?" **_

_**Hermione had just come in, wearing her dressing-gown and carrying Crookshanks, who was looking very grumpy, with a string of tinsel tied around his neck. **_

_**"Don't bring him in here!" said Ron, hurriedly snatching Scabbers from the depths of his bed and stowing him in his pyjama pocket. **_

_**But Hermione wasn't listening. She dropped Crookshanks onto the Seamus's empty bed and stared, open-mouthed, at the Firebolt. **_

"Isn't it beautiful…" James said in a dreamy tone.

"Ok we lost him for a while."

_**"Oh, Harry! Who sent you that?" **_

_**"No idea," said Harry. "There wasn't a card or anything with it." **_

_**To his great surprise, Hermione did not appear either excited or intrigued by this news. On the contrary, her face fell, and she bit her lip. **_

_**"What's the matter with you?" said Ron. **_

_**"I don't know," said Hermione slowly, "but it's a bit odd, isn't it? I mean, that's supposed to be quite a good broom, isn't it?" **_

_**Ron sighed exasperatedly. **_

_**"It's the best broom there is, Hermione," he said. **_

_**"So it must've been really expensive..." **_

_**"Probably cost more than all the Slytherins' brooms put together," said Ron happily. **_

"He still can't let that one go can't he?" Lucius whined.

"Do we really want to know?" Cygnus asked the other adults.

_**"Well... who'd send Harry something as expensive as that, and not even tell him they'd sent it?" said Hermione. **_

_**"Who cares?" said Ron, impatiently. "Listen, Harry, can I have a go on it? Can I?" **_

_**"I don't think anyone should ride that broom just yet!" said Hermione shrilly. **_

_**Harry and Ron looked at her. **_

"What's Hermione problem?" asked James.

"She is using her brains." was Devona's simple answer.

_**"What d'you think Harry's going to do with it- sweep the floor?" said Ron. **_

All withes and wizards sniggered at this.

_**But before Hermione could answer, Crookshanks sprang from Seamus's bed, right at Ron's chest. **_

_**"GET- HIM- OUT- OF- HERE!" Ron bellowed, as Crookshanks's claws ripped his pyjamas and Scabbers attempted a wild escape over his shoulder. **_

_**Ron seized Scabbers by the tail and aimed a misjudged kick at Crookshanks which hit the trunk at the end of Harry's bed, knocking it over and causing Ron to hop on the spot, howling with pain. **_

Mostly everyone tryed to not laugh in fear to feel the girls wrath up on them if they dare doing it.

_**Crookshanks's fur suddenly stood on end. A shrill, tinny whistling was filling the room. The Pocket Sneakoscope had become dislodged from Uncle Vernon's old socks and was whirling and gleaming on the floor. **_

_**"I forgot about that!" Harry said, bending down and picking up the Sneakoscope. "I never wear those socks if I can help it..." **_

_**The Sneakoscope whirled and whistled in his palm. Crookshanks was hissing and spitting at it. **_

_**"You'd better take that cat out of here, Hermione," said Ron furiously; he was sitting on Harry's bed nursing his toe. "Can't you shut that thing up?" he added to Harry as Hermione strode out of the room, Crookshanks's yellow eyes still fixed maliciously on Ron. **_

_**Harry stuffed the Sneakoscope back inside the socks and threw it back into his trunk. All that could be heard now was Ron's stifled moans of pain and rage. Scabbers was huddled in Ron's hands. It had been a while since Harry had seen him out of Ron's pocket, and he was unpleasantly surprised to see that Scabbers, once so fat, was now very skinny; patches of fur seemed to have fallen out, too. **_

"Poor rat," said Peter sadly.

_**"He's not looking too good, is he?" Harry said. **_

_**"It's stress!" said Ron. "He'd be fine if that stupid great furball left him alone!" **_

_**But Harry, remembering what the woman at the Magical Menagerie had said about rats only living three years, couldn't help feeling that unless Scabbers had powers he had never revealed, he was reaching the end of his life. And despite Ron's frequent complaints that Scabbers was both boring and useless, he was sure Ron would be very miserable if Scabbers died. **_

_**Christmas spirit was definitely thin on the ground in the Gryffindor common room that morning. Hermione had shut Crookshanks in her dormitory, but was furious with Ron for trying to kick him; Ron was still fuming about Crookshanks's fresh attempt to eat Scabbers. Harry gave up trying to make them talk to each other, and devoted himself to examining the Firebolt, which he had brought down to the common room with him. For some reason this seemed to annoy Hermione as well; she didn't say anything, but she kept looking darkly at the broom as though it, too, had been criticising her cat. **_

"Such an interesting Christmas."

_**At lunchtime they went down to the Great Hall, to find that the house tables had been moved against the walls again, and that a single table, set for twelve, stood in the middle of the room. Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, Sprout and Flitwick were there, along with Filch, the caretaker, who had taken off his usual brown coat and was wearing a very old and rather mouldy-looking tail coat. **_

"He still has that thing, but we got him for his birthday a new one in our fifth year." Al commented.

"The lovely tradition to sit together with the students who staid." Scorpius said smiling.

"Yes lovely…" Devona said in an annoyed tone.

"Don't you like that?" Lily asked the young woman, she really reminded her on Severus that was for sure.

"I like these feasts, but in the last time decided the Marauders that they liked to stay in the castle for the holydays and they are no better as they parents back then and in addiction to my daughter and the twins" with that she threw a glare at Scorpius who hid behind Al "I'm most of the time tempted to give a few people poison…" she growled.

"Marauders?" asked the past Marauders.

"Yes I had four Griffins like you four in my House." Scorpius said smiling _"Expect the betraying part" _"And now I have they kids."

"Wow…wait does that mean that…" James started.

"In our time managed my father and Al's aunt to get some laws throught which are positive for people affected by lycantrophy." Scorpius said.

"At the moment there are twenty such students in Hogwarts." Al said smiling at Remus who couldn't believe what he just heard it was al to great to be true.

_**There were only three other students: two extremely nervous-looking first-years and a sullen-faced Slytherin fifth-year. **_

_**"Merry Christmas!" said Dumbledore, as Harry, Ron and Hermione approached the table. "As there are so few of us, it seemed foolish to use the house tables... sit down, sit down!" **_

_**Harry, Ron and Hermione sat down side by side at the end of the table. **_

_**"Crackers!" said Dumbledore enthusiastically, offering the end of a large silver one to Snape, who took it reluctantly and tugged. **_

"Not a good idea." Lucius commented.

"Why not?" Regulus asked.

"I hate them…" Severus groaned.

"Same goes for Dev and Sal." Al added in.

_**With a bang like a gunshot, the cracker flew apart to reveal a large, pointed witch's hat topped with a stuffed vulture. **_

"That won't help his mode." Devona said as the Slytherins nodded while the others tryed to not laugh.

_**Harry, remembering the Boggart, caught Ron's eye and they both grinned; Snape's mouth thinned**_

"Ugh…Devs does that usually when she tryes to hold herself back from pouncing on someone and murdering them with her bare hands." Al said Suddering while Scorpius nodded.

"Yet that you say it…Sev does the same in such cases." Lucius said in a thoughtfull tone while the others paled.

_**and he pushed the hat towards Dumbledore, who swapped it for his wizard's hat at once. **_

_**"Tuck in!" he advised the table, beaming around. **_

_**As Harry was helping himself to roast potatoes, the doors of the Great Hall opened again. It was Professor Trelawney, gliding towards them as though on wheels. **_

"And this will be my cue tor un." Severus said.

_**She had put on a green sequined dress in honor of the occasion, making her look more than ever like a glittering, oversize dragonfly. **_

_**"Sybill, this is a pleasant surprise!" said Dumbledore, standing up. **_

"More the opposite…"

_**"I have been crystal-gazing, headmaster," said Professor Trelawney, in her mistiest, most faraway voice, "and to my astonishment, I saw myself abandoning my solitary luncheon and coming to join you. Who am I to refuse the promptings of fate? I at once hastened from my tower, and I do beg you to forgive my lateness..." **_

_**"Certainly, certainly," said Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling. "Let me draw you up a chair-" **_

_**And he did indeed draw a chair in mid-air with his wand, which revolved for a few seconds before falling with a thud between Professors Snape and McGonagall. **_

Everyone groaned.

"From al the places by that table he picked out that spot to put a chair for her…" Remus groaned.

"This won't end well with her near them…" Devona groaned as she cowered her face with one of her pale hands.

"Why is it that you two nearly always appear together and even sit most of the time beside each other even if you fight that much and are the Heads of rivaling Houses." James asked with a raised eyebrow so he missed the smirk on the lips of the three professirs, but Lucius and Remus did.

_**Professor Trelawney, however, did not sit down;**_

Severus let out a sigh of relief at this.

_**her enormous eyes had been roving around the table, and she suddenly uttered a kind of soft scream. **_

_**"I dare not, Headmaster! If I join the table, we shall be thirteen! Nothing could be more unlucky! Never forget that when thirteen dine together, the first to rise will be the first to die!" **_

Everyone rolled they eyes at this.

_**"We'll risk it, Sibill," said Professor McGonagall impatiently. "Do sit down, the turkey's getting stone cold." **_

Devona smirked at this agai nin amusement.

_**Professor Trelawney hesitated, then lowered herself into the empty chair, eyes shut and mouth clenched tight, as though expecting a thunderbolt to hit the table. Professor McGonagall poked a large spoon into the nearest tureen. **_

_**"Tripe, Sibill?" **_

Everyone laughed at this.

_**Professor Trelawney ignored her. Eyes open again, she looked around once more and said, "But where is dear Professor Lupin?" **_

_**"I'm afraid the poor fellow is ill again," said Dumbledore, indicating that everybody should start serving themselves. **_

"That's too bad, Moony," said James. "Having to suffer the effects of the full moon on Christmas Day."

_**"Most unfortunate that it should happen on Christmas Day. **_

_**"But surely you already knew that, Sybill?" said Professor McGonagall, her eyebrows raised. **_

_**Professor Trelawney gave Professor McGonagall a very cold look. **_

_**"Certainly I knew, Minerva," she said quietly. "But one does not parade the fact that one is All-Knowing. I frequently act as though I am not possessed of the Inner Eye, so as not to make others nervous." **_

"Man…she will get worse then she already is…"

_**"That explains a great deal," said Professor McGonagall tartly. **_

_**Professor Trelawney's voice suddenly became a good deal less misty. **_

_**"If you must know, Minerva, I have seen that poor Professor Lupin will not be with us for very long. He seems aware, himself, that his time is short. He positively fled when I offered to crystal gaze for him-" **_

_**"Imagine that," said Professor McGonagall drily. **_

_**"I doubt," said Dumbledore, in a cheerful but slightly raised voice, which put an end to Professor McGonagall and Professor Trelawney's conversation, "that Professor Lupin is in any immediate danger. Severus, you've made the Potion for him again?" **_

_**"Yes, Headmaster," said Snape. **_

_**"Good," said Dumbledore. "Then he should be up and about in no time... Derek, have you had any of these chipolatas? They're excellent." **_

_**The first-year boy went furiously red on being addressed directly by Dumbledore, and took the platter of sausages with trembling hands. **_

_**Professor Trelawney behaved almost normally until the very end of Christmas dinner, two hours later. Full to bursting with Christmas dinner and still wearing their cracker hats, Harry and Ron got up first from the table and she shrieked loudly. **_

They all rolled their eyes in disgust.

_**"My dears! Which of you left his seat first? Which?" **_

_**"Dunno," said Ron, looking uneasily at Harry. **_

_**"I doubt it will make much difference." said Professor McGonagall coldly, "unless a mad axe-man is waiting outside the doors to slaughter the first into the Entrance Hall." **_

The three professors broke out laughing at this while the others stared gapping at the book.

"Di…did professor McGonagall just make a joke?" James asked incrediously.

"Yes she has some good ones." Al said as if it would be nothing new that the usually stern professor told jokes.

_**Even Ron laughed. Professor Trelawney looked highly affronted. **_

_**"Coming?" Harry said to Hermione. **_

_**"No," Hermione muttered. "I want a quick word with Professor McGonagall." **_

_**"Probably trying to see if she can take any more classes," yawned Ron as they made their way into the Entrance Hall, which was completely devoid of mad axe-men. **_

Now was everyone laughing.

_**When they reached the portrait hole, they found Sir Cadogan enjoying a Christmas party with a couple on monks, several previous Headmasters of Hogwarts and his fat pony. He pushed up his visor and toasted them with a flagon of mead. **_

_**"Merry- hic- Christmas! Password?" **_

_**"Scurvy cur," said Ron. **_

_**"And the same to you, sir!" roared Sir Cadogen, as the painting swung forward to admit them. **_

_**Harry went straight up to the dormitory, collected his Firebolt and the Broomstick Servicing Kit Hermione had given him for his birthday, brought them downstairs and tried to find something to do to the Firebolt; however, there was no bent twigs to clip, and the handle was so shiny already it seemed pointless to polish it. He and Ron simply sat admiring it from every angle, until the portrait hole opened, and Hermione came in accompanied by Professor McGonagall. **_

The Marauders all shuddered.

_**Though Professor McGonagall was head of Gryffindor House, Harry had seen her in the common room only once before, and that had been to make a very grave announcement. He and Ron stared at her, both holding the Firebolt. Hermione walked around them, sat down, picked up the nearest book, and hid her face behind it.**_

_**"So that's it, is it?" said Professor McGonagall beadily, walking over to the fireside and staring at the Firebolt. "Miss Granger has just informed me you have been sent a broomstick, Potter."**_

_**Harry and Ron looked around at Hermione. They could see her forehead reddening over the top of her book, which was upside down.**_

_**"May I?" said Professor McGonagall, but she didn't wait for an answer before pulling the Firebolt out of their hands. She examined it carefully from handle to twig-ends. "Hmm. And there was no note at all, Potter? No card? No message of any kind?" **_

"Hermione hasn't told McGonagall, has she?" gapsed James in shock and outrage.

"Let Al continue reading or I will silence you." Scorpius said.

_**"No," said Harry blankly.**_

_**"I see...," said Professor McGonagall. "Well, I'm going to have to take this, Potter."**_

_**"W-what?" said Harry, scrambling to his feet. "Why?"**_

_**"It will need to be checked for jinxes," said Professor McGonagall. "Of course, I'm no expert, but I daresay Madam Hooch and Professor Flitwick will strip it down -" **_

_**"Strip it down?" repeated Ron, as though Professor McGonagall was mad. **_

"NNNOOOO!!!" screamed both James and his father in horror.

_**"It shouldn't take more than a few weeks," said Professor McGonagall. "You will have it back if we are sure it is jinx-free." **_

_**"There's nothing wrong with it!" said Harry, his voice shaking slightly. "Honestly, Professor-" **_

_**"You can't know that, Potter," said Professor McGonagall, quite kindly, "not until you've flown it, at any rate, and I'm afraid that is out of the question until we are certain that it has not been tampered with. I shall keep you informed." **_

_**Professor McGonagall turned on her heel and carried the Firebolt out of the portrait hole, which closed behind her. Harry stood staring after her, the tin of High-Finish Polish still clutched in his hands. **_

_**Ron, however, rounded on Hermione. **_

_**"What did you go running to McGonagall for?" **_

_**Hermione threw her book aside. She was still pink in the face, but stood up and faced Ron defiantly. **_

_**"Because I thought- and Professor McGonagall agrees with me- that that broom was probably sent to Harry by Sirius Black!" **_

"I probably did send it," said Sirius.

"True and with everyone thinking that you want to hurt Harry it is no surprise that such a present is suspicious." Lucius commented after finally understanding the case.

"So this chapter is over w should now eat and then continue." Al suggested.

_To be continued…_


	13. Bond of trust, The Patronus

A/N: so guys here is a new chapter _**I will continue my stories when I have time and inspiration…**_ And well while just doing that those who wished for this to get finished should thank my room mate and fellow writer here on the site _**Luthien Lovemagic **_whom I asked to pick out the next story for me to finish…

P.S.: If someone doesn't like what I write please don't bother me with reviewing because that is annoying for the others have fun with the new chap…

XIII. Bond of trust, _The Patronus_

* * *

After everyone had finished with they respective meals, Abraxas making new plans to convince his wife to forgive him, Alphonse finishing his little deal to get a copy from Rosier, went everybody back to reading. That is they planned on doing just this when suddenly two people walked in through the still busted door, one looking around in confusion while the other in amusement.

"Ted." exclaimed Andromeda at the sight of her husband while little Dora only waved to her father.

"Bella!" yelled the three professors.

"Wotcher uncle Scorp, uncle Al, aunt Dev." the girl greeted them her black hair turning a color of magenta like always when she was amused.

"Care to explain young lady what you are doing here?" Scorpius asked the girl who sat down beside him with a croaked smile on her lips. Ted meanwhile joined his wife and stared nervously at her father who was glaring at him.

"Well, great-granduncle Lucius said that regarding the people who are already here that I should also get one more person to read." she explained while Scorpius groaned while Lucius blushed.

"Grandfather…"

"Hm…so you are the one named after me and my niece." said suddenly Bellatrix as she looked the girl over, after she got her transformation under control again, the two of them really looked similar.

"Yup, most people thought my dad went nuts for naming me after you, but I like my names." Bella explained grinning.

"That is an understatement, I really feared that some people got a heart attack when Teddy named you." Scorpius said remembering the chaos, Al and Devona only nodded.

"Thought in my case was it the same, even mom thought that dad got to often hit on the head." Al said smirking.

"I think we should now continue reading, this is only the third book so four more to go." Rosier piped in suddenly.

"True, so who reads next?" James asked.

"I will." said Bellatrix as she grabbed the book. "_**The Patronus**_."

"This sounds like an interesting chapter." Lily said smiling while the others nodded.

_**Harry knew that Hermione had meant well, but that didn't stop him from being angry with her. He had been the owner of the best broom in the world for a few short hours, and now, because of her interference, he didn't know whether he would ever see it again.**_

"We perfectly understand you." replied both James and Alphonse in depressed tones while the others could only shake they heads.

"James definitely got that from dad's side." Al said to his friends and cousin.

"Even granduncle Charlie isn't that fanatic." added Bella.

_**He was positive that there was nothing wrong with the Firebolt**_

"As there wasn't anything wrong with that diary last year, it only happened to have belonged to Voldemort." Remus said at which many people started gapping.

"He...You-Know-Who has a diary?" Cygnus asked shocked, his sister will have a fit at this, he couldn't wait telling her.

"What has my grandson to do with that madman's diary." Allan demanded.

"Long story, but that thing was destroyed." Sirius said hurriedly, Mrs Potter ould be frightening.

"You know, it is in a way interesting that he later on made the diary Myrtle had given him in to a Hochrux and even the name she made up for him as nick name." Al whispered to his friends who nodded, so Voldemort had known love once.

_**now, but what sort of state would it be in once it had been subjected to all sorts of anti-jinx tests?**_

"You won't even notice it went through one if it is safe." Andromeda explained while looking at her father who nodded. He often checked the things they family got, just to be safe.

_**Ron was furious with Hermione too. As far as he was concerned, the stripping-down of a brand-new Firebolt was nothing less than criminal damage.**_

"You know, your uncle can be annoying." Bellatrix stated.

"I know." Al replied sighing.

"Is he really that bad to you?" Molly asked her grandson, not liking how her youngest son might act towards him.

"If he would keep his snide remarks only directed against me I would be fine, but he has no right to speak ill about my friends and they family at least who become decent. By Merlin even mom got over it and she ignored my existence for a whole summer after finding out I was friends with Scorpius." Al said in an annoyed tone.

"She did what!" yelled many people shocked.

"Yep, she was still sour about that diary incident and transported the blame to all Malfoys." the others nodded while Bellatrix continued reading.

_**Hermione, who remained convinced that she had acted for the best, started avoiding the common room. **_

_**Harry and Ron supposed she had taken refuge in the library and didn't try to persuade her to come back. **_

"There and sometimes by Hagrid also." Al added.

_**All in all, they were glad when the rest of the school returned shortly after New Year, and Gryffindor Tower became crowded and noisy again. Wood sought Harry out on the night before term started.**_

_"__**Had a good Christmas?" he said, and then, without waiting for an answer, he sat down, lowered his voice, and said, "I've been, doing some thinking over Christmas, Harry. After last match, you know. If the Dementors come to the next one… I mean… we can't afford you to — well —"**_

_**Wood broke off, looking awkward.**_

At this the four future visitors broke out laughing, causing everyone to look at them strangely.

"S…sorry…" Scorpius got out between laughs.

"Wow, so from there got Professor Wood this type of stuttering if nervous." Bella said with interest while the others nodded in understanding.

_"__**I'm working on it," said Harry quickly. "Professor Lupin said he'd train me to ward off the Dementors. We should be starting this week. He said he'd have time after Christmas."**_

_"__**Ah," said Wood, his expression clearing. "Well, in that case — I really didn't want to lose you as Seeker, Harry. And have you ordered a new broom yet?"**_

_"__**No," said Harry.**_

_"__**What! You'd better get a move on, you know — you can't ride that Shooting Star against Ravenclaw!"**_

"I thought it was clear that not the broom matters, but the player." Regulus said from his renewed position on the couch, much to Rudolphus's dismay.

"Uhm…that is correct little brother, but a fast broom is also practical." Sirius tried to explain.

"Hypocrites." he muttered to his little cousin who nodded.

_"__**He got a Firebolt for Christmas," said Ron.**_

_"__**A Firebolt? No! Seriously? A — a real Firebolt?"**_

_"__**Don't get excited, Oliver," said Harry gloomily. "I haven't got it anymore. It was confiscated." And he explained all about how the Firebolt was now being checked for jinxes.**_

_"__**Jinxed? How could it be jinxed?"**_

_"__**Sirius Black," Harry said wearily. "He's supposed to be after me. So McGonagall reckons he might have sent it."**_

_**Waving aside the information that a famous murderer was after his Seeker, Wood said, **_

"Quidditch obsessed." muttered most people in the room.

_"__**But Black couldn't have bought a Firebolt! He's on the run! The whole country's on the lookout for him! How could he just walk into Quality Quidditch Supplies and buy a broomstick?"**_

"Did you kids ever hear about ordering?" asked Cygnus with a raised eyebrow.

_"__**I know," said Harry, "but McGonagall still wants to strip it down —"**_

_**Wood went pale.**_

_"__**I'll go and talk to her, Harry," he promised. "I'll make her see reason… A Firebolt… a real Firebolt, on our team… She wants Gryffindor to win as much as we do… I'll make her see sense. A Firebolt…"**_

"Tiff would certainly do the same." Scorpius said speaking out of experience. The Griffindor team got sent new brooms by an Anonymous donator and they were worried seeing that some Death Eaters still wanted revenge. Tiff had stormed in to his office, wand drawn and looking as if she would hex him any second. Luckily it turned out that they were sent as a surprise by Harry.

"You should know." replied both Devona and Al smiling.

"Huh?" Frank asked.

"Continue reading, the books from here on will only get longer." Devona instructed, "_And certainly worse" _she added mentally.

_**Classes started again the next day. The last thing anyone felt like doing was spending two hours on the grounds on a raw January morning, but Hagrid had provided a bonfire full of salamanders for their enjoyment,**_

"Yes, that was certainly fun." Bella stated, that was her favorite class on that day.

"Wish we would have the same." said Alice.

_**and they spent an unusually good lesson collecting dry wood and leaves to keep the fire blazing while the flame-loving lizards scampered up and down the crumbling, white-hot logs. The first Divination lesson of the new term was much less fun;**_

"My classmates like it." Bella stated at which stared most of the past people blinking at her.

"True, but Septimus is pretty good in that direction." Al stated, Septimus Drawlen was a Slytherin student one year under them in they time in Hogwarts.

"I need to agree, he makes the class not utter rubbish." Devona replied who got her mother's views about divination.

_**Professor Trelawney was now teaching them palmistry, and she lost no time in informing Harry that he had the shortest life line she had ever seen.**_

"Which doesn't stop him from surviving." Rosier commented grinning, the other occupant of the room were not sure if they should be worried about this fact or be glad.

_**It was Defense Against the Dark Arts that Harry was keen to get to;**_

"Who wouldn't with Professor Moony as they teacher." Sirius said grinning as he wrapped an arm around the blushing werewolf.

"Don't know, uncle Al is pretty brilliant and with the jinx on the spot lifted will we enjoy his classes for a long time." Bella added while grinning at her cousin.

"Ah, so is he this years victim." asked Abraxas with a slight glare at the boy, but stopped immediately when noticing his wife's dark gaze.

"Hopefully I will make it in one piece, unlike my two predecessors." Remus said nervously.

"Why, what happened to them?" Ted asked the question most of the new readers, minus the Dursley siblings sitting in the corner, wanted to ask.

"Well the first one had Voldemort on the back of his head and got killed at the end of the term, the other was an useless fraud and a broken wand whipped

_**after his conversation with Wood, he wanted to get started on his anti-Dementor lessons as soon as possible.**_

_"__**Ah yes," said Lupin, when Harry reminded him of his promise at the end of class. "Let me see… how about eight o'clock on Thursday evening? The History of Magic classroom should be large enough… I'll have to think carefully about how we're going to do this… We can't bring a real Dementor into the castle to practice on…" **_

"We would be thankful about that." replied nearly everyone of the parents.

_"__**Still looks ill, doesn't he?" said Ron as they walked down the corridor, heading to dinner. "What d'you reckon's the matter with him?"**_

"Not much only his usual monthly furry-little-problem." Sirius commented grinning.

"And here was everyone curious from where you got a rabid rabbit." Lucius said shaking his head.

"What do you expect, Sirius come up with that dub I'm sure." Bellatrix commented.

"HEY!"

"Sirius, let your cousin read." Druella told her nephew while trying not to groan at her nephew's imagination.

_**There was a loud and impatient "tuh" from behind them. It was Hermione, who had been sitting at the feet of a suit of armor, repacking her bag, which was so full of books it wouldn't close.**_

_"__**And what are you tutting at us for?" said Ron irritably.**_

_"__**Nothing," said Hermione in a lofty voice, heaving her bag back over her shoulder.**_

_**"Yes, you were," said Ron. "I said I wonder what's wrong with Lupin, and you —"**_

_"__**Well, isn't it obvious?" said Hermione, with a look of maddening superiority.**_

"We know that look soo well." commented the kids while looking smirking at a blushing Lily, Severus and Remus.

_"__**If you don't want to tell us, don't," snapped Ron.**_

_"__**Fine," said Hermione haughtily, and she marched off.**_

_"__**She doesn't know," said Ron, staring resentfully after Hermione. "She's just trying to get us to talk to her again."**_

"I would say she knows already, that girl is really clever." Allana said while exchanging a look with the other female adults.

_**At eight o'clock on Thursday evening, Harry left Gryffindor Tower for the History of Magic classroom. It was dark and empty when he arrived, but he lit the lamps with his wand and had waited only five minutes when Professor Lupin turned up, carrying a large packing case, which he heaved onto Professor Binn's desk.**_

_"__**What's that?" said Harry.**_

_"__**Another Boggart," said Lupin, stripping off his cloak. "I've been combing the castle ever since Tuesday, and very luckily, I found this one lurking inside Mr. Filch's filing cabinet.**_

"Aww Moony, why couldn't you leave it there?" James whined not noticing Sirius backing away from him.

"JAMES POTTER!" snapped both Allana and Lily.

"Sorry…" was the only thing he managed to get out while hiding behind Remus.

_**It's the nearest we'll**__** get to a real Dementor. The Bogart will turn into a Dementor when he sees you, so we'll be able to practice on him. I can store him in my office when we're not using him; there's a cupboard under my desk he'll like."**_

_"__**Okay," said Harry, trying to sound as though he wasn't apprehensive at all and merely glad that Lupin had found such a good substitute for a real Dementor.**_

_"__**So…" Professor Lupin had taken out his own wand, and indicated that Harry should do the same. "The spell I am going to try and teach you is highly advanced magic, Harry — well beyond Ordinary Wizarding Level. It is called the Patronus Charm."**_

_"__**How does it work?" said Harry nervously.**_

_**"Well, when it works correctly, It conjures up a Patronus," said Lupin, "which is a kind of anti-Dementor — a guardian that acts as a shield between you and the Dementor."**_

A little groan made everyone turn in to Bella's direction, noticing this she grinned sheepishly while her hair become a bluish-yellow color.

"Huh…sorry was only reminded when my dad gave me such a similar speech when teaching me." she said blushing _"Looks like he got that from Grandpa Lupin"_.

"Ah yes I remember, Teddy asked me when you were ten to borrow him my Bogart so that he could teach you the Patronus charm." Al replied in a thoughtful tone.

"But why did you need to learn the Patronus so early and a Bogart takes he form of what _you _fear." Sirius said in a confused tone.

"I dearly hope that your father didn't make you fear the Dementors to achieve that." Andromeda said angrily as she flashed a glare to a fidgeting Remus.

"Don't worry the Bogart Al has belongs to him since years and somehow he managed to teach it to take up forms at command." Scorpius said to save his cousin's future grandfather, great-grandaunt Andromeda had some nasty hexes in store.

"Wow you can do that?" asked Alphonse in an awed tone.

"Yep." replied the future visitors.

"As for learning the Patronus charm early is necessary then it looks like as if the Dementors of Tartharos which are still roaming free mostly target us and our families who plaid a bigger role in the war, but also had the most painful sacrifices." explained Devona while holding out the pain of her voice as the memory of her father's death flashed through her mind. Her godfather won't take it to well seeing that he was in St. Mungos for a whole year because of a nervous breakdown regarding his friend's death.

"Uh…that is not good." said James nervously.

"You tell us."

_**Harry had a sudden vision of himself crouching behind a Hagrid-sized figure holding a large club. Professor Lupin continued, **_

Everyone laughed at Harry's imagination.

_"__**The Patronus is a kind of positive force, a projection of the very things that the Dementor feeds upon — hope, happiness, the desire to survive — but it cannot feel despair, as real humans can, so the Dementors can't hurt it. But I must warn you, Harry, that the charm might be too advanced for you. Many qualified wizards have difficulty with it."**_

_"__**What does a Patronus look like?" said Harry curiously.**_

_"__**Each one is unique to the wizard who conjures it."**_

"_Not always." _thought the future visitors solemnly as they looked over at Lucius who failed to notice, but Remus did.

_"__**And how do you conjure it?"**_

_"__**With an incantation, which will work only if you are concentrating, with all your might, on a single, very happy memory."**_

"That is true I always use the memories about my wedding and my son's birth to conjure my Patronus." Allana said smiling as she leaned against hr husband.

"I mostly use the memories about our first date and wedding, sorry James, but I kind of fainted from panic by your birth and was out for six hours." at this most people started laughing.

"So, this is what I can expect from James when Harry is born." Lily said as he looked over to the blackhead.

"Correct grandma." Al said grinning which was followed by more laughter and James trying to sink in to the ground.

_**Harry cast his mind about for a happy memory. Certainly, nothing that had happened to him at the Dursleys'**_

The kids threw dirty glances at the Dursley siblings and at Petunia, from which later noticed that neither of the future visitors was looking at her, while the parents tried to figure out what hat meant.

_**was going to do. Finally, he settled on the moment when he had first ridden a broomstick.**_

"A pleasant memory, but not powerful enough." Lucius said while everyone on the magical part nodded.

_"__**Right," he said, trying to recall as exactly as possible the wonderful, soaring sensation of his stomach.**_

_"__**The incantation is this —" Lupin cleared his throat. "Expecto patronum!"**_

_"__**Expecto patronum," Harry repeated under his breath, "expecto patronum."**_

_"__**Concentrating hard on your happy memory?"**_

_"__**Oh — yeah —" said Harry, quickly forcing his thoughts back to that first broom ride. "Expecto patrono — no, patronum — sorry — expecto patronum, expecto patronum"**_

_**Something whooshed suddenly out of the end of his wand; it looked like a wisp of silvery gas.**_

_"__**Did you see that?" said Harry excitedly. "Something happened!"**_

_**"Very good," said Lupin, smiling. "Right, then — ready to try it on a Dementor?"**_

"That was already a good start, most of my fifth years have problems to even conjure a silver mist." Al explained.

"You really love your job." James said looking at his future grandson, he still needed to get over it that if it weren't for Malfoy's grandson he would have been a Slytherin. Thought he stated to get somewhat comfortable with them.

_"__**Yes," Harry said, gripping his wand very tightly, and moving into the middle of the deserted classroom. He tried to keep his mind on flying, but something else kept intruding… Any second now, he might hear his mother again…**_

Lily felt again tears in her eyes while most people looked saddened.

_**but he shouldn't think that, or he would hear her again, and he didn't want to… or did he?**_

"Harry, I know that this is the first time you hear your mother's voice, but hearing it like that will only hurt you." Severus said in a weak tone while Devona went over to him and hugged her father.

"I agree with Severus." James said while hugging Lily.

_**Lupin grasped the lid of the packing case and pulled.**_

_**A Dementor rose slowly from the box, its hooded face turned toward Harry, one glistening, scabbed hand gripping its cloak. The lamps around the classroom flickered and went out. The Dementor stepped from the box and started to sweep silently toward Harry, drawing a deep, rattling breath. A wave of piercing cold broke over him —**_

_"__**Expecto patronum!" Harry yelled. "Expecto patronum! Expecto —"**_

_**But the classroom and the Dementor were dissolving… Harry was falling again through thick white fog, and his mother's voice was louder than ever, echoing inside his head — "Not Harry! Not Harry! Please — I'll do anything —"**_

_"__**Stand aside — stand aside, girl —"**_

_"__**Harry!"**_

Everyone tried to hold back tears while Bellatrix muttered angry curses under her breath surprising both of her sisters and cousin.

Al was also having a hard time listening again to the horrible memories his father needed to hear each time when faced with a Dementor, feeling two arms wrap around him in a gentle hug made him relax somewhat. He was always grateful for Scorpius's support, it probably didn't need to be mentioned that Abraxas felt like groaning in despair when he saw that. First his son with that Snape boy and now his grandson with a Potter oh yes and it was the same grandson who married a crazy Lovegood. a tap on his shoulder made the older Malfoy turn around to look at a concerned looking Alphonse Potter.

"I know hat the situation is understandable, but uhm…I have this weird bothered feeling when seeing those two hug." Alphonse whispered to the other man.

"Now you know how I feel in case of my son and hat Snape boy, it makes me nervous and you already saw Lucius is obsessed with him." Abraxas whispered back.

"I understand now and I'm also worried."

"Trust me, furthest tonight will this feeling get worse."

"We will need to investigate on both pairs." Alphonse said suddenly.

"Agreed."

"What are you two whispering about?" asked suddenly Cygnus making everyone stare at the now blushing duo.

"Nothing." they both replied hurriedly.

"Those two are definitely up to no good." whispered Allana to Daria.

"We will keep one eye on them." she whispered back nodding while Druella signaled to her daughter to continue.

_**Harry jerked back to life. He was lying flat on his back on the floor. The classroom lamps were alight again. He didn't have to ask what had happened.**_

_"__**Sorry," he muttered, sitting up and feeling cold sweat trickling down behind his glasses.**_

_"__**Are you all right?" said Lupin.**_

_"__**Yes…" Harry pulled himself up on one of the desks and leaned against it.**_

_"__**Here —" Lupin handed him a Chocolate Frog. "Eat this before we try again. I didn't expect you to do it your first time; in fact, I would have been astounded if you had."**_

"We would also be." come many replies while Remus took the mentioning of Chocolate Frogs as his cue to refill the chocolate bowl, he had a feeling that they would need it.

_"__**It's getting worse," Harry muttered, biting off the Frog's head. "I could hear her louder that time — and him — Voldemort —"**_

_**Lupin looked paler than usual.**_

"No wonder." whispered Remus bitterly.

_"__**Harry, if you don't want to continue, I will more than understand —"**_

_"__**I do!" said Harry fiercely, stuffing the rest of the Chocolate Frog into his mouth. "I've got to! What if the Dementors turn up at our match against Ravenclaw? I can't afford to fall off again. If we lose this game we've lost the Quidditch Cup!"**_

"Men and they sports." muttered most females in the room disapprovingly while the men grinned sheepishly.

_"__**All right then…" said Lupin. "You might want to select another memory, a happy memory, I mean, to concentrate on… That one doesn't seem to have been strong enough…"**_

_**Harry thought hard and decided his feelings when Gryffindor had won the House Championship last year had definitely qualified as very happy. He gripped his wand tightly again and took up his position in the middle of the classroom.**_

_"__**Ready?" said Lupin, gripping the box lid.**_

_"__**Ready," said Harry; trying hard to fill his head with happy thoughts about Gryffindor winning, and not dark thoughts about what was going to happen when the box opened.**_

_"__**Go!" said Lupin, pulling off the lid. The room went icily cold and dark once more. The Dementor glided forward, drawing its breath; one rotting hand was extending toward Harry —**_

_"__**Expecto patronum!" Harry yelled. "Expecto patronum! Expecto Pat —"**_

Suddenly Bellatrix stopped reading her expression dissolving in to a scowl.

"Great, from here on it will really get worse for the kid." she said ignoring everyone's confused gazes.

_**White fog obscured his senses… big, blurred shapes were moving around him… then came a new voice, a man's voice, shouting, panicking —**_

_"__**Lily, take Harry and go! It's him! Go! Run! I'll hold him off —"**_

James flinched as his mother wrapped her arms around her son.

_**The sounds of someone stumbling from a room — a door bursting open — a cackle of high- pitched laughter —**_

_"__**Harry! Harry… wake up…"**_

_**Lupin was tapping Harry hard on the face. This time it was a minute before Harry understood why he was lying on a dusty classroom floor.**_

_"__**I heard my dad," Harry mumbled. "That's the first time I've ever heard him — he tried to take on Voldemort himself, to give my mum time to run for it…"**_

"Of course, I would never allow your mother to get hurt as long as I'm alive." James said softly.

"Well seeing how often you have asked Lily out and got la on rejected we would be shocked." Sirius joked in an attempt to lift the mood, it worked a little bit.

_**Harry suddenly realized that there were tears on his face mingling with the sweat. He bent his face as low as possible, wiping them off on his robes, pretending to do up his shoelace, so that Lupin wouldn't see.**_

_"__**You heard James?" said Lupin in a strange voice.**_

_"__**Yeah…" Face dry, Harry looked up. "Why — you didn't know my dad, did you?"**_

_"__**I — I did, as a matter of fact," said Lupin. "We were friends at Hogwarts. Listen, Harry — perhaps we should leave it here for tonight. **_

"At least Harry now knows that we were friends." James said smiling weakly at Remus, the last phases still paining him.

"Yes."

_**This charm is ridiculously advanced… I shouldn't have suggested putting you through this…"**_

_"__**No!" said Harry. He got up again. "I'll have one more go! I'm not thinking of happy enough things, that's what it is… hang on…"**_

_**He racked his brains. A really, really happy memory… one that he could turn into a good, strong Patronus…**_

_**The moment when he'd first found out he was a wizard, and would be leaving the Dursleys for Hogwarts! If that wasn't a happy memory, he didn't know what was… Concentrating very hard on how he had felt when he'd realized he'd be leaving Privet Drive, Harry got to his feet and faced the packing case once more.**_

_"__**Ready?" said Lupin, who looked as though he were doing this against his better judgment. **_

_"__**Concentrating hard? All right — go!"**_

_**He pulled off the lid of the case for the third time, and the Dementor rose out of it; the room fell cold and dark —**_

_"__**EXPECTO PATRONUM!" Harry bellowed. "EXPECTO PATRONUM! EXPECTO PATRONUM!"**_

_**The screaming inside Harry's head had started again — except this time, it sounded as though it were coming from a badly tuned radio — softer and louder and softer again… and he could still see the Dementor… it had halted… and then a huge, silver shadow came bursting out of the end of Harry's wand, to hover between him and the Dementor, and though Harry's legs felt like water, he was still on his feet — though for how much longer, he wasn't sure…**_

Many kids started cheering, well mostly the Gryffindor part, the Slytherin only smiled like the parents.

_"__**Riddikulus!" roared Lupin, springing forward.**_

_**There was a loud crack, and Harry's cloudy Patronus vanished along with the Dementor; he sankinto a chair, feeling as exhausted as if he'd just run a mile, and felt his legs shaking. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Professor Lupin forcing the Boggart back into the packing case with his wand; it had turned into a silvery orb again.**_

_"__**Excellent!" Lupin said, striding over to where Harry sat. "Excellent, Harry! That was definitely a start!"**_

_"__**Can we have another go? Just one more go?"**_

_"__**Not now," said Lupin firmly. "You've had enough for one night. Here —"**_

_**He handed Harry a large bar of Honeydukes' best chocolate.**_

_"__**Eat the lot, or Madam Pomfrey will be after my blood. **_

Everyone who knew the dutiful and stern School Matron started chuckling at the last sentence knowing how right Remus was about that certain fact.

_**Same time next week?"**_

_"__**Okay," said Harry. He took a bite of the chocolate and watched Lupin extinguishing the lamps that had rekindled with the disappearance of the Dementor. A thought had just occurred to him.**_

_"__**Professor Lupin?" he said. "If you knew my dad, you must've known Sirius Black as well."**_

_**Lupin turned very quickly.**_

_"__**What gives you that idea?" he said sharply.**_

_"__**Nothing — I mean, I just knew they were friends at Hogwarts too…"**_

_**Lupin's face relaxed.**_

_"__**Yes, I knew him," he said shortly. "Or I thought I did. You'd better be off, Harry, it's getting late."**_

"Sirius I…I'm…" Remus felt completely shocked about his own words.

"It is alright Moony, we already went through this." Sirius said while hugging his friend in a reassuring matter.

_**Harry left the classroom, walking along the corridor and around a corner, then took a detour behind a suit of armor and sank down on its plinth to finish his chocolate, wishing he hadn't mentioned Black, as Lupin was obviously not keen on the subject. Then Harry's thoughts wandered back to his mother and father…**_

_**He felt drained and strangely empty, even though he was so full of chocolate. Terrible though it was to hear his parents' last moments replayed inside his head, these were the only times Harry had heard their voices since he was a very small child. But he'd never be able to produce a proper Patronus if he half wanted to hear his parents again…**_

Everyone went still again.

_"__**They're dead," he told himself sternly. "They're dead and listening to echoes of them won't bring them back. You'd better get a grip on yourself if you want that Quidditch Cup."**_

A few weak chuckles could be heard before Bellatrix started reading again.

_**He stood up, crammed the last bit of chocolate into his mouth, and headed back to Gryffindor Tower.**_

_**Ravenclaw played Slytherin a week after the start of term. Slytherin won, though narrowly.**_

Hearing this let both Lucius and Severus out a sigh of relief while they friends sniggered.

"I had enough, just what in Salazar's name is wrong with you each time the Slytherin team is mentioned." Abraxas snapped finally.

"Allow me." Scorpius said "You already know that my dad was Slytherin's Seeker well the case is that while in his first match against Griffindor was he so much preoccupied with trying, we Malfoys are horrible with taunting names, to taunt Al's dad so in his amusement did he fail to notice the Snitch hovering beside his ear." there was death silence after the explanation before…

"WHAT!" screamed Abraxas, Alphonse and Cygnus.

"Just leave it." Lucius said while glaring at his still smirking grandson, oh yes that boy was certainly Griffindor material, not that it bothered him it showed hat they could be more then for what everyone took them.

_**According to Wood, this was good news for Gryffindor, who would take second place if they beat Ravenclaw too. He therefore increased the number of team practices to five a week. This meant that with Lupin's anti-Dementor classes, which in themselves were more draining than six Quidditch practices, Harry had just one night a week to do all his homework.**_

"Bet someone now whishes they would have already forgiven they friend wit the most brains." Rosier said in a sing-son voice while taping little Nymphadora as she sat down in Bella's lap who had fun playing with the little version of her grandmother. Namely, they both plaid a changing game with they hair, eyes and face.

_**Even so, he was not showing the strain nearly as much as Hermione, whose immense workload finally seemed to be getting to her. Every night, without fail, Hermione was to be seen in a corner of the common room, several tables spread with books, Arithmancy charts, rune dictionaries, diagrams of Muggles lifting heavy objects, and file upon file of extensive notes; she barely spoke to anybody and snapped when she was interrupted.**_

"Just like Rosie/Aunt Rose." said the future people smiling.

"How is that girl managing to be in all these classes?" Alphonse asked unbelievingly.

"You will see." Devona said while nodding for Bellatrix to continue.

_"__**How's she doing it?" Ron muttered to Harry one evening as Harry sat finishing a nasty essay on Undetectable Poisons for Snape.**_

"And just what is wrong with that?" Devona asked in annoyance, dark eyes glaring at the book.

"Dev calm down, you know my dad was never too great in potions." Al said to his friend.

"I agree with my daughter." Severus said suddenly looking also annoyed.

"Uhm…granddad, could you take care of him while I help Al?" Scorpius asked nervously.

"Yes." Lucius replied, his friend could get pretty dangerous if angered or annoyed and potions was always a touchy subject if someone said something wrong about it.

While the three tried to cal father and daughter down decided Bellatrix to continue reading.

_**Harry looked up. Hermione was barely visible behind a tottering pile of books.**_

_"__**Getting to all her classes!" Ron said. "I heard her talking to Professor Vector, that Arithmancy witch, this morning. They were going on about yesterday's lesson, but Hermione can't've been there, because she was with us in Care of Magical Creatures! And Ernie McMillan told me she's never missed a Muggle Studies class, but half of them are at the same time as Divination, and she's never missed one of them either!"**_

While some people looked confused at this had others knowing looks on they faces.

_**Harry didn't have time to fathom the mystery of Hermione's impossible schedule at the moment; he really needed to get on with Snape's essay. Two seconds later, however, he was interrupted again, this time by Wood.**_

_**"Bad news, Harry. I've just been to see Professor McGonagall about the Firebolt. She — er — got a bit shirty with me.**_

Many snickers could be heard around the room.

"I can just imagine how Aunt Minerva must have looked." Al told his friends per they mind link.

"Certainly, he can be happy to be still alive." Scorpius added chuckling inertly.

"Hush you two and listen to the book, we are slowly nearing the time when we need to hold them away from murder." Devona chided them.

_**Told me I'd got my priorities wrong. Seemed to think I cared more about winning the Cup than I do about you staying alive. Just because I told her I didn't care if it threw you off, as long as you caught the Snitch first." **_

Many snickers could be heard around the room while both Allana and Lily glared at two certain blackheads who dared to nod in approval.

_**Wood shook his head in disbelief. "Honestly, the way she was yelling at me… you'd think I'd said something terrible.**_

More snickers could be heard while Lily muttered _'Quidditch obsessed idiot' _under her breath.

_**Then I asked her how much longer she was going to keep it…" He screwed up his face and imitated Professor McGonagall's severe voice. "As long as necessary, Wood"… I reckon it's time you ordered a new broom, Harry. There's an order form at the back of Which Broomstick… you could get a Nimbus Two Thousand and One, like Malfoy's got."**_

_"__**I'm not buying anything Malfoy thinks is good," said Harry flatly.**_

"Normally I would feel insulted, but dad really acted like a git back then." Scorpius said while Lucius nodded even though still wanting to snap at the comment while Abraxas muttered angrily under his breath.

_**January faded imperceptibly into February, with no change in the bitterly cold weather. The match against Ravenclaw was drawing nearer and nearer, but Harry still hadn't ordered a new broom. He was now asking Professor McGonagall for news of the Firebolt after every Transfiguration lesson, Ron standing hopefully at his shoulder, Hermione rushing past with her face averted.**_

_"__**No, Potter, you can't have it back yet," Professor McGonagall told him the twelfth time this happened, before he'd even opened his mouth.**_

"Harry, stop annoying her about the broom." Lily said in a scolding manner.

_**"We've checked for most of the usual curses, but Professor Flitwick believes the broom might be carrying a Hurling Hex. I shall tell you once we've finished checking it. Now, please stop badgering me."**_

_**To make matters even worse, Harry's anti-Dementor lessons were not going nearly as well as he had hoped. Several sessions on, he was able to produce an indistinct, silvery shadow every time the Boggart-Dementor approached him, but his Patronus was too feeble to drive the Dementor away. All it did was hover, like a semitransparent cloud, draining Harry of energy as he fought to keep it there. Harry felt angry with himself, guilty about his secret desire to hear his parents' voices again.**_

"The poor dear." Molly said silently, she hated it when a child was suffering.

_"__**You're expecting too much of yourself," said Professor Lupin, sternly in their fourth week of practice. "For a thirteen-year-old wizard, even an indistinct Patronus is a huge achievement.**_

"Yes, my son/grandson is the best." said both James and his father at the same time while the others only shook they heads.

"They can be so embarrassing." Al groaned while Scorpius snickered before Devona smacked him on the back of his head. "Thanks Dev."

_**You aren't passing out anymore, are you?"**_

_"__**I thought a Patronus would — charge the Dementors down or something," said Harry dispiritedly. "Make them disappear —"**_

_"__**The true Patronus does do that," said Lupin. "But you've achieved a great deal in a very short space of time. If the Dementors put in an appearance at your next Quidditch match, you will be able to keep them at bay long enough to get back to the ground."**_

_"__**You said it's harder if there are loads of them," said Harry.**_

_"__**I have complete confidence in you," said Lupin, smiling. **_

_"__**Here — you've earned a drink. Something from the Three Broomsticks. You won't have tried it before —"**_

_**He pulled two bottles out of his briefcase.**_

_"__**Butterbeer!" said Harry, without thinking. "Yeah, I like that stuff!"**_

"Ooops…"

_**Lupin raised an eyebrow.**_

"Certainly a big ooops."

_"__**Oh — Ron and Hermione brought me some back from Hogsmeade," Harry lied quickly.**_

_"__**I see," said Lupin, though he still looked slightly suspicious. **_

"Of course he suspicious, he is a marauder after all."

"At least was it a believable lie." Frank commented.

_"__**Well — let's drink to a Gryffindor victory against Ravenclaw! Not that I'm supposed to take sides, as a teacher…" he added hastily.**_

_**They drank the butterbeer in silence, until Harry voiced something he'd been wondering for a while.**_

_"__**What's under a Dementor's hood?"**_

"As already said before, you don't wish to ever see it." Abraxas said in a dark tone at which Petunia edged closer to her mother.

"Ugh…they won't like the next sentence." Scorpius signaled to his two friends.

"Of course they won't like it." Devona sneered, hand reaching for her wand.

_**Professor Lupin lowered his bottle thoughtfully.**_

_"__**Hmmm… well, the only people who really know are in no condition to tell us. You see, the Dementor lowers its hood only to use its last and worst weapon."**_

_"__**What's that?"**_

_"__**They call it the Dementor's Kiss," said Lupin, with a slightly twisted smile. "It's what Dementors do to those they wish to destroy utterly. I suppose there must be some kind of mouth under there, because they clamp their jaws upon the mouth of the victim and — and suck out his soul."**_

By this time looked most people pale, Petunia was shaking in her mother's arms while the Dursleys had already fainted, but no one cared about those two.

"A fate worse then death." the Portrait of Phineas Nigellus whispered.

_**Harry accidentally spat out a bit of butter**__** beer.**_

_"__**What — they kill —?"**_

_"__**Oh no," said Lupin. "Much worse than that. You can exist without your soul, you know, as long as your brain and heart are still working. But you'll have no sense of self anymore, no memory, no… anything. There's no chance at all of recovery. You'll just exist. As an empty shell. And your soul is gone forever… lost."**_

Bellatrix suddenly stopped reading and pushed the book in to a confused looking Ted Tonks's hands before throwing her arms around a shocked Sirius.

"Only over my dead body." she growled threateningly as her grip around her cousin tightened. "Let them try, they will fail…" slowly a menacing smile made it's way to her lips frighteningly similar to the ones her future self wore.

"Uhm…Ted, please read hat sentence which made my daughter act like that." Druella said to her son-in-law who nodded.

_**Lupin drank a little more butter**__** beer, then said, "It's the fate that awaits Sirius Black. **_

Everyone went silent again.

"W…what…?" Sirius asked after five minutes.

"No, I won't let that happen, Sirius is innocent." James snapped.

"It will be alright." Alice tried to reassure them, but she felt scarred.

"Bellatrix, will you continue or should Ted?" Druella asked her daughter.

"I will finish it." was her reply.

_**It was in the Daily Prophet this morning. The Ministry have given the Dementors permission to perform it if they find him."**_

_**Harry sat stunned for a moment at the idea of someone having their soul sucked out through their mouth. But then he thought of Black.**_

_"__**He deserves it," he said suddenly.**_

"HARRY JAMES POTTER DON'T YOU DARE SAY SOMETHING LIKE THAT ABOUT YOUR GODFATHER!" James broke out angrily as he jumped up from the ground while the Blacks glared at the book.

"James calm down…" both Sirius and Remus tried to calm they friend down while most of the Blacks were glaring at the book.

"Guys, it was already settled that you should only judge people _AFTER _you have read all seven books." Bella snapped similarly to future Bellatrix effectionally quieting everyone down.

"You know, I really like that girl." Bellatrix commented to her blinking sister.

"If they already react like this then they will so love my father in the sixth book." Devona whispered sarcastically.

_"__**You think so?" said Lupin lightly. "Do you really think anyone deserves that?"**_

_"__**Yes," said Harry defiantly. "For… for some things…"**_

"No." said most people in union.

_**He would have liked to have told Lupin about the conversation he'd overheard about Black in the Three Broomsticks, about Black betraying his mother and father,**_

"Which he didn't." said the Marauders in union.

_**but it would have involved revealing that he'd gone to Hogsmeade without permission, and he knew Lupin wouldn't be very impressed by that. So he finished his butterbeer, thanked Lupin, and left the History of Magic classroom.**_

_**Harry half wished that he hadn't asked what was under a Dementor's hood, the answer had been so horrible, and he was so lost in unpleasant thoughts of what it would feel like to have your soul sucked out of you that he walked headlong into Professor McGonagall halfway up the stairs.**_

Everyone who knew McGonagall flinched, mostly the men.

"Poor dad, thought luck on that." Al said while Scorpius nodded.

_"__**Do watch where you're going, Potter!"**_

_"__**Sorry, Professor —"**_

_"__**I've just been looking for you in the Gryffindor common room, Well, here it is, we've done everything we could think of, and there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with it at all — you've got a very good friend somewhere, Potter…"**_

"Yes! The Firebolt is back!" exclaimed James happily, his previous anger forgotten.

_**Harry's jaw dropped. She was holding out his Firebolt, and it looked as magnificent as ever.**_

_"__**I can have it back?" Harry said weakly. "Seriously?"**_

_"__**Seriously," said Professor McGonagall, and she was actually smiling. "I daresay you'll need to get the feel of it before Saturday's match, won't you? And Potter —do try and win, won't you? Or we'll be out of the running for the eighth year in a row, as Professor Snape was kind enough to remind me only last night…"**_

At this the three future professors broke out laughing and were soon joined in by the others.

"Would you please stop that?" Severus asked while blushing.

"Sorry Sev, but you need to admit that it is amusing." Lucius said to his best friend between peals of laughter.

_**Speechless, Harry carried the Firebolt back upstairs toward Gryffindor Tower. As he turned a corner, he saw Ron dashing toward him, grinning from ear to ear.**_

_"__**She gave it to you? Excellent! Listen, can I still have a go on it? Tomorrow?"**_

_"__**Yeah… anything…" said Harry, his heart lighter than it had been in a month. "You know what — we should make up with Hermione… She was only trying to help…"**_

_"__**Yeah, all right," said Ron. "She's in the common room now working — for a change."**_

_**They turned into the corridor to Gryffindor Tower and saw Neville Longbottom, pleading with Sir Cadogan, who seemed to be refusing him entrance.**_

"Poor Neville." said both Frank and Alice.

_"__**I wrote them down!" Neville was saying tearfully. "But I must've dropped them somewhere!"**_

"Uh oh…" said most people.

"Don't tell me he lost a list with the passwords on it." said Alphonse in an unbelieving tone.

"Oh yes he did." Aractus said.

"Would you please lay of off my son." Alice said.

_"__**A likely tale!" roared Sir Cadogan. Then, spotting Harry and Ron: "Good even, my fine young yeomen! Come clap this loon in irons. He is trying to force entry to the chambers within!"**_

_"__**Oh, shut up," said Ron as he and Harry drew level with Neville.**_

_"__**I've lost the passwords!" Neville told them miserably. "I made him tell me what passwords he was going to use this week, because he keeps changing them, and now I don't know what I've done with them!"**_

"Why do I have the sinking feeling that this will later on cause some trouble?" asked Remus.

_"__**Oddsbodkins," said Harry to Sir Cadogan, who looked extremely disappointed and reluctantly swung forward to let them into the common room. There was a sudden, excited murmur as every head turned and the next moment, Harry was surrounded by people exclaiming over his Firebolt.**_

_"__**Where'd you get it, Harry?"**_

_"__**Will you let me have a go?"**_

_"__**Have you ridden it yet, Harry?"**_

_"__**Ravenclaw'll have no chance, they're all on Cleansweep Sevens!"**_

_"__**Can I just hold it, Harry?"**_

_**After ten minutes or so, during which the Firebolt was Passed around and admired from every angle, the crowd dispersed and Harry and Ron had a clear view of Hermione, the only person who hadn't rushed over to them, bent over her work and carefully avoiding their eyes. Harry and Ron approached her table and at last, she looked up.**_

_"__**I got it back," said Harry, grinning at her and holding up the Firebolt.**_

_"__**See, Hermione? There wasn't anything wrong with it!" said Ron.**_

_"__**Well — there might have been!" said Hermione. "I mean, at least you know now that it's safe!"**_

"I agree with her." said Lily, Narcissa and Molly in union while most of the other females in the room nodded.

_"__**Yeah, I suppose so," said Harry. "I'd better put it upstairs."**_

_"__**I'll take it!" said Ron eagerly. "I've got to give Scabbers his rat tonic."**_

_**He took the Firebolt and, holding it as if it were made of glass, carried it away up the boys' staircase.**_

"It's just a broom uncle Ron." Al said while rolling his eyes.

"But…but it is a Firebolt." James said.

"Your point is?"

"Are you really sure that you are my grandson and plaid Quidditch?" James asked before Lily wacked him over the head together with Devona. "Ouch…"

"You deserved that." they both said in union.

"Your daughter really likes Potter's grandson." Lucius whispered to his best friend.

"I need to agree, it is still strange to see, but what is not since we are reading these books." Severus replied.

_"__**Can I sit down, then?" Harry asked Hermione.**_

_"__**I suppose so," said Hermione, moving a great stack of parchment off a chair.**_

_**Harry looked around at the cluttered table, at the long Arithmancy essay on which the ink was still glistening, at the even longer Muggle Studies essay ('Explain Why Muggles Need Electricity')**_

"That sounds interesting." Arthur said excitedly.

_**and at the rune translation Hermione was now poring over.**_

"That is an interesting class." said both Devona and Severus together.

"They are certainly related."

_"__**How are you getting through all this stuff?" Harry asked her.**_

_"__**Oh, well — you know — working hard," said Hermione. Close-up, Harry saw that she looked almost as tired as Lupin.**_

"Thanks." replied Remus while the others sniggered.

_"__**Why don't you just drop a couple of subjects?" Harry asked, watching her lifting books as she searched for her rune dictionary.**_

"Ugh…I remember when I asked Rosie this in our third year." Scorpius said groaning.

"What happened?" James asked when both Al and Devona started sniggering.

"Tried to hex me in to oblivion while lecturing me." the blonde replied while glaring at his two friends.

"Harry, be careful with her!" James and Sirius yelled in panic while the others shook they heads.

_"__**I couldn't do that!" said Hermione, looking scandalized.**_

_"__**Arithmancy looks terrible," said Harry, picking up a very complicated-looking number chart.**_

_"__**Oh no, it's wonderful!" said Hermione earnestly. "It's my favorite subject! It's —"**_

_**But exactly what was wonderful about Arithmancy, Harry never found out. At that precise moment, a strangled yell echoed down the boys' staircase. The whole common room fell silent,**_

"Ah, then it has the opposite effect then when Severus screams, then the others usually start whimpering in fear." Lucius said laughing while his friend glared at him.

_**staring, petrified, at the entrance. Then came hurried footsteps, growing louder and louder — and then Ron came leaping into view, dragging with him a bedsheet.**_

_"__**LOOK!" he bellowed, striding over to Hermione's table. "LOOK!" he yelled, shaking the sheets in her face.**_

"Ronald that is extremely rude." Molly said.

_"__**Ron, what —?"**_

_"__**SCABBERS! LOOK! SCABBERS!"**_

"And they call my in-laws nuts." Scorpius muttered while shaking his head.

_**Hermione was leaning away from Ron, looking utterly bewildered.**_

"We understand dear." replied Druella while shaking her head.

"Someone should just give that guy a calming draught." Bellatrix snapped, that guy started to really annoy her.

_**Harry looked down at the sheet Ron was holding. There was something red on it. Something that looked horribly like —**_

_"__**BLOOD!" Ron yelled into the stunned silence. "HE'S GONE! AND YOU KNOW WHAT WAS ON THE FLOOR?"**_

_"__**N — no," said Hermione in a trembling voice.**_

_**Ron threw something down onto Hermione's rune translation. Hermione and Harry leaned forward. Lying on top of the weird, spiky shapes were several long, ginger cat hairs.**_

"That's the end of the chapter." Bellatrix said while handing the book over to Ted.

"Molly, Arthur don't understand me wrong, but your son is really rude with Hermione." Lily said to the older girl.

"I know, yes that was his pet rat, but no one should ever act so with a friend." Molly said in a sad tone.

"Oh don't worry he will get better later on." Al said sneering to his friends.

"I think we should continue reading." Narcissa said while looking over to Ted who nodded.

"Yes we should."

_**"Gryffindor Versus Ravenclaw."**_

"Yes a new Quidditch chapter will certainly lighten the mood." James said grinning while Ted continued.

_To be continued…_


	14. You never were sane to begin with, Griff

A/N: Ok yes it was long ago that I have updated and as such you can forget who is present so here is a list about the readers:

_**James, Allana, Alphonse Potter**_

_**Sirius, Regulus, Bellatrix, Narcissa, Cygnus, Druella, Phineas Nigellus Black (yes the later will also read)**_

_**Andromeda, Nymphadora, Ted Tonks (Andromeda is already married here)**_

_**Molly Prewett**_

_**Arthur Weasley**_

_**Remus John Lupin**_

_**Peter Pettigrew**_

_**Frank Longbottom**_

_**Alice Ferris**_

_**Rudolphus Lastrange**_

_**Evan Rosier**_

_**Aractus Flint**_

_**Severus Snape**_

_**Lucius, Daria, Abraxas Malfoy**_

_**Lily, Petunia, Susan, Johan Evans**_

_**Vernon, Marge Dursley (whom are only there for torture)**_

The three future professors are:

_**Albus Severus Potter**_

_**Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy**_

_**Devona Eileen Snape**_

P.S.: for the names you might not recogrinaise please read the authors note a the end of chapter 10

XIV. You never were sane to begin with, _Griffindor versus Ravenclaw _

* * *

_**It looked like the end of Ron and Hermione's friendship. **_

"Believe me they will have worse fights then because of that rat." Al said when all eyes had fallen on them, but beside Remus, Severus and Lucius missed everyone the fleeting cold look thrown towards Peter.

"Uhm…then I will continue." Ted said while throwing a glance at Cygnus who never took his eyes of off him, well he managed to get out of the father-son-in-law talk till this very day, but not more it seems.

_**Each was so angry with the other that Harry couldn't see how they'd ever make up.**_

"Know how you feel son, after that _"prank idea"_ of Sirius was I in a similar case, though I was also a bit angry." James said, but he still heard Lucius, Severus, Remus and the three professors mumble _"More like attempted murder" _while glancing at a guilty looking Sirius.

_**Each was so angry with the other that Harry couldn't see how they'd ever make up. Ron was enraged that Hermione had never taken Crookshanks's attempts to eat Scabbers seriously, hadn't bothered to keep a close enough watch on him, and was still trying to pretend that Crookshanks was innocent by suggesting that Ron look for Scabbers under all the boys' beds. Hermione, meanwhile, maintained fiercely that Ron had no proof that Crookshanks had eaten Scabbers, that the ginger hairs might have been there since Christmas, and that Ron had been prejudiced against her cat ever since Crookshanks had landed on Ron's head in the Magical Menagerie.**_

"That is definitely true that he never even liked that poor cat from begin with." Narcissa said, she was always a great cat lover.

"I still don't like them." Sirius muttered.

"But cats ar…"

"Narcissa, Sirius, let Ted continue reading you can later discuss your liking for pets." Druella said, those two could argue on this topic for hours if not stopped in time.

_**Personally, Harry was sure that Crookshanks had eaten Scabbers, and when he tried to point out to Hermione that the evidence all pointed that way, she lost her temper with Harry too.**_

"Bad move Harry." said all males in union.

_"__**Okay, side with Ron, I knew you would!" she said shrilly. "First the Firebolt, now Scabbers, everything's my fault, isn't it! Just leave me alone, Harry, I've got a lot of work to do!"**_

"That boy truly never learned how to deal with females." Alphonse said while shaking his head.

"Like father, like son." said Lily smirking at James who stared at her incredulously.

_**Ron had taken the loss of his rat very hard indeed.**_

_"__**Come on, Ron, you were always saying how boring Scabbers was," said Fred bracingly. "And he's been off-color for ages, he was wasting away. It was probably better for him to snuff it quickly — one swallow — he probably didn't feel a thing."**_

"At least is he trying to cheer his younger brother up, he is tying…" Molly said while shaking her head.

_"__**Fred!" said Ginny indignantly.**_

_"__**All he did was eat and sleep, Ron, you said it yourself," said George.**_

_"__**He bit Goyle for us once!" Ron said miserably. "Remember, Harry?"**_

_"__**Yeah, that's true," said Harry.**_

_"__**His finest hour," said Fred, unable to keep a straight face. "Let the scar on Goyle's finger stand as a lasting tribute to his memory. Oh, come on, Ron, get yourself down to Hogsmeade and buy a new rat, what's the point of moaning?"**_

_**In a last-ditch attempt to cheer Ron up, Harry persuaded him to come along to the Gryffindor team's final practice before the Ravenclaw match, so that he could have a ride on the Firebolt after they'd finished. This did seem to take Ron's mind off Scabbers for a moment ("Great! Can I try and shoot a few goals on it?") so they set off for the Quidditch field together.**_

"Yes, Quidditch is always a good distraction." James said approvingly while others only shook they heads.

_**Madam Hooch, who was still overseeing Gryffindor practices to keep an eye on Harry,**_

"Let me guess, the whole staff had babysitting duty." Aractus said while sorting the full lists into categorized piles.

_**was justas impressed with the Firebolt as everyone else had been. She took it in her hands before takeoff and gave them the benefit of her professional opinion.**_

_"__**Look at the balance on it! If the Nimbus series has a fault, it's a slight list to the tail end — you often find they develop a drag after a few years. They've updated the handle too, a bit slimmer than the Cleansweeps, reminds me of the old Silver Arrows — a pity they've stopped making them. I learned to fly on one, and a very fine old broom it was too…"**_

"So true." said all the magical parents in nostalgic tones.

"Ted continue, this will take them a while." Frank whispered as they looked at the adults with they faraway looks while the Evans pair only smiled at them. Even thought some things in the book were painful they clearly enjoyed seeing something from the world of they youngest child.

_**She continued in this vein for some time, until Wood said, "Er — Madam Hooch? Is it okay if Harry has the Firebolt back? We need to practice…"**_

The kids needed to chuckle at this.

_"__**Oh — right — here you are, then, Potter," said Madam Hooch. "I'll sit over here with Weasley…"**_

More laughter could be heard and the parents finally returned from they old broom dreams.

_**She and Ron left the field to sit in the stadium, and the Gryffindor team gathered around Wood for his final instructions for tomorrow's match.**_

_"__**Harry, I've just found out who Ravenclaw is playing as Seeker. It's Cho Chang. She's a fourth year, and she's pretty good… I really hoped she wouldn't be fit, she's had some problems with injuries…" Wood scowled his displeasure that Cho Chang had made a full recovery, then said,**_

"Quidditch obsessed prat." muttered most of the girls in annoyance.

_**"On the other hand, she rides a Comet Two Sixty, which is going to look like a joke next to the Firebolt." He gave Harry's broom a look of fervent admiration, then said, "Okay, everyone, let's go —"**_

_**And at long last, Harry mounted his Firebolt, and kicked off from the ground.**_

_**It was better than he'd ever dreamed. The Firebolt turned with the lightest touch; it seemed to obey his thoughts rather than his grip; it sped across the field at such speed that the stadium turned into a green-and-gray blur; Harry turned it so sharply that Alicia Spinnet screamed, then he went into a perfectly controlled dive, brushing the grassy field with his toes before rising thirty, forty, fifty feet into the air again —**_

"Eww…Potter stop drooling." exclaimed a disgusted looking Bellatrix.

"Try reading a book when he is like this." Lucius commented.

"Alphonse, the same goes for you." Allana snapped at her husband.

"In our world are most men like that with cars." spoke Susan Evans for the first time since they started reading.

"I can imagine." Druella said.

_"__**Harry, I'm letting the Snitch out!" Wood called.**_

_**Harry turned and raced a Bludger toward the goal posts; he outstripped it easily, saw the Snitch dart out from behind Wood, and within ten seconds had caught it tightly in his hand.**_

_**The team cheered madly. Harry let the Snitch go again, gave it a minute's head start, then tore after it, weaving in and out of the others; he spotted it lurking near Katie Bell's knee, looped her easily, and caught it again.**_

_**It was the best practice ever; the team, inspired by the presence of the Firebolt in their midst, performed their best moves faultlessly, and by the time they hit the ground again, Wood didn't have a single criticism to make, which, as George Weasley pointed out, was a first.**_

_"__**I can't see what's going to stop us tomorrow!" said Wood. "Not unless — Harry, you've sorted out your Dementor problem, haven't you?"**_

_"__**Yeah," said Harry, thinking of his feeble Patronus and wishing it were stronger.**_

_"__**The Dementors won't turn up again, Oliver. Dumbledore'd go ballistic," said Fred confidently.**_

"I certainly hope for that man, we will still have a little chat tomorrow with him." Daria said to both Allana and Druella who nodded, certainly no one felt sorry for the Headmaster.

_"__**Well, let's hope not," said Wood. "Anyway — good work, everyone. Let's get back to the tower… turn in early…"**_

_"__**I'm staying out for a bit; Ron wants a go on the Firebolt," Harry told Wood, and while the rest of the team headed off to the locker rooms, Harry strode over to Ron, who vaulted the barrier to the stands and came to meet him. Madam Hooch had fallen asleep in her seat.**_

_"__**Here you go," said Harry, handing Ron the Firebolt.**_

_**Ron, an expression of ecstasy on his face, mounted the broom and zoomed off into the gathering darkness while Harry walked around the edge of the field, watching him. **_

_**Night had fallen before Madam Hooch awoke with a start, told Harry and Ron off for not waking her, and insisted that they go back to the castle.**_

_**Harry shouldered the Firebolt and he and Ron walked out of the shadowy stadium, discussing the Firebolt's superbly smooth action, its phenomenal acceleration, and its pinpoint turning. They were halfway toward the castle when Harry, glancing to his left, saw something that made his heart turn over — a pair of eyes, gleaming out of the darkness.**_

"What is it." asked both Lily and Molly in fear for they sons.

_**Harry stopped dead, his heart banging against his ribs.**_

_"__**What's the matter?" said Ron.**_

_**Harry pointed. Ron pulled out his wand and muttered, "Lumos!"**_

_**A beam of light fell across the grass, hit the bottom of a tree, and illuminated its branches; there, crouching among the budding leaves, was Crookshanks.**_

Both girls sighed in relief at this.

_"__**Get out of here!" Ron roared, and he stooped down and seized a stone lying on the grass, but before he could do anything else, Crookshanks had vanished with one swish of his long ginger tail.**_

_"__**See?" Ron said furiously, chucking the stone down again. "She's still letting him wander about wherever he wants — probably washing down Scabbers with a couple of birds now…"**_

"So you want him locked up." Narcissa snapped before turning harshly to the three professors. "Can you later on get that guy here for a few minutes?" she asked sweetly while both Lucius and Severus were edging away from her carefully.

"I will see when I get back home after the next chapter." Bella replied smiling, her hair turning magenta and forest green.

"Thank you dear."

"Uncle Ron is in for it from your grandmother." Al whispered to the smirking blonde at his side.

_**Harry didn't say anything. He took a deep breath as relief seeped through him; he had been sure for a moment that those eyes had belonged to the Grim. They set off for the castle once more. slightly ashamed of his moment of panic, Harry didn't say anything to Ron — nor did he look left or right until they had reached the well lit entrance hall.**_

_**Harry went down to breakfast the next morning with the rest of the boys in his dormitory, all of whom seemed to think the Firebolt deserved a sort of guard of honor.**_

"Don't you even dare to comment boys." Allana threatened.

_**As Harry entered the Great Hall, heads turned in the direction of the Firebolt, and there was a good deal of excited muttering. Harry saw, with enormous satisfaction, that the Slytherin team were all looking thunderstruck.**_

_"__**Did you see his face?" said Ron gleefully, looking back at Malfoy. "He can't believe it! This is brilliant!"**_

_**Wood, too, was basking in the reflected glory of the Firebolt.**_

"It would be better you would bask in the light of your team then a broom." Lucius said while shaking his head.

_"__**Put it here, Harry," he said, laying the broom in the middle of the table and carefully turning it so that its name faced upward. People from the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables were soon coming over to look. Cedric Diggory came over to congratulate Harry on having acquired such a superb replacement for his Nimbus, and Percy's Ravenclaw girlfriend, Penelope Clearwater, asked if she could actually hold the Firebolt.**_

_"__**Now, now, Penny, no sabotage!" said Percy heartily as she examined the Firebolt closely. "Penelope and I have got a bet on," he told the team. "Ten Galleons on the outcome of the match!"**_

"Percival Weasley, no betting." Molly said disapprovingly while Al stared blinking at the book, when they had read these, was this part skipped because how annoying everyone acted because of the Firebolt.

"Scorp…Dev…did that book just say that MY uncle PERCY betted…?" Al asked unsurely while his two best friends also looked stunned.

"I think yes mate." Scorpius replied while placing a hand on his friends shoulder.

"Great I have something against him now if I want to bet on something." Bella said gleefully.

"Oh no, you will not young lady." said both Molly and Andromeda at the same time.

_**Penelope put the Firebolt down again, thanked Harry, and went back to her table.**_

_"__**Harry — make sure you win," said Percy, in an urgent whisper. "I haven't got ten Galleons. Yes, I'm coming, Penny!" And he bustled off to join her in a piece of toast.**_

"Then why are you betting?" Molly asked scowling.

_"__**Sure you can manage that broom, Potter?" said a cold, drawling voice.**_

"Something tells me that this is my cue to start working on Lucius's _family talk _list and for Mr. Malfoy to duck from Mrs. Malfoy and Narcissa." Aractus said as he picked up said list while Abraxas inched away from both his wife's and future daughter-in-law's death glares.

"Uhm…Abraxas?" asked Alphonse curiously.

"What is it now?"

"Why pray tell me are you exactly hiding behind me?" he asked while turning his head to the side.

"Because they will not hex you Potter, unlike me." was the all explaining reply.

"Aha…"

_**Draco Malfoy had arrived for a closer look, Crabbe and Goyle right behind him.**_

_"__**Yeah, reckon so," said Harry casually.**_

_"__**Got plenty of special features, hasn't it?" said Malfoy, eyes glittering maliciously. "Shame it doesn't come with a parachute — in case you get too near a Dementor."**_

"Malfoy, get immediately out from behind me." Alphonse said in a panicked tone as the two woman glared in his direction.

_**Crabbe and Goyle sniggered.**_

_"__**Pity you can't attach an extra arm to yours, Malfoy," said Harry. "Then it could catch the Snitch for you."**_

_**The Gryffindor team laughed loudly. Malfoy's pale eyes narrowed, and he stalked away. They watched him rejoin the rest of the Slytherin team, who put their heads together, no doubt asking Malfoy whether Harry's broom really was a Firebolt.**_

_**At a quarter to eleven, the Gryffindor team set off for the locker rooms. The weather couldn't have been more different from their match against Hufflepuff. It was a clear, cool day with a very light breeze; there would be no visibility problems this time, and Harry, though nervous, was starting to feel the excitement only a Quidditch match could bring. They could hear the rest of the school moving into the stadium beyond. Harry took off his black school robes, removed his wand from his pocket, and stuck it inside the T-shirt he was going to wear under his Quidditch robes. He only hoped he wouldn't need it. He wondered suddenly whether Professor Lupin was in the crowd, watching.**_

"If the full moon didn't interfere then I will surely be there." Remus said smiling.

_"__**You know what we've got to do," said Wood as they prepared to leave the locker rooms. "If we lose this match, we're out of the running, just — just fly like you did in practice yesterday, and we'll be okay!"**_

_**They walked out onto the field to tumultuous applause. The Ravenclaw team, dressed in blue, were already standing in the middle of the field. Their Seeker, Cho Chang, was the only girl on their team.**_

"Wow, girls surely not like or have talent in Quidditch in Harry's school year." James said in confusion.

"True, nearly half of the current Ravenclaw team are female." added Lucius.

_**She was shorter than Harry by about a head, and Harry couldn't help noticing, nervous as he was, that she was extremely pretty.**_

"Harry! This is not the time to be checking out girls, do that _after _you won the game!" exclaimed James.

_**She smiled at Harry as the teams faced each other behind their captains, and he felt a slight lurch in the region of his stomach that he didn't think had anything to do with nerves.**_

"Harry, the game…" James's tone had become pleading while the others shook they heads.

_"__**Wood, Davies, shake hands," Madam Hooch said briskly, and Wood shook hands with the Ravenclaw Captain.**_

_"__**Mount your brooms… on my whistle… three — two — one —"**_

_**Harry kicked off into the air and the Firebolt zoomed higher and faster than any other broom; he soared around the stadium and began squinting around for the Snitch, listening all the while to the commentary, which was being provided by the Weasley twins' friend Lee Jordan.**_

"That guy is brilliant." said Sirius and Rosier together.

"Should we feel worried if those two like him?" Druella asked the other adults unsurely.

_"__**They're off, and the big excitement this match is the Firebolt that Harry Potter is flying for Gryffindor. According to Which Broomstick, the Firebolt's going to be the broom of choice for the national teams at this year's World Championship —"**_

_"__**Jordan, would you mind telling us what's going on in the match?" interrupted Professor McGonagall's voice.**_

_"__**Right you are, Professor — just giving a bit of background information — the Firebolt, incidentally, has a built-in auto-brake and —"**_

"Yes we should." come the reply.

_"__**Jordan!"**_

_"__**Okay, okay, Gryffindor in possession, Katie Bell of Gryffindor, heading for goal…"**_

_**Harry streaked past Katie in the opposite direction, gazing around for a glint of gold and noticing that Cho Chang was tailing him closely. She was undoubtedly a very good flier — she kept cutting across him, forcing him to change direction.**_

_"__**Show her your acceleration, Harry!" Fred yelled as he whooshed past in pursuit of a Bludger that was aiming for Alicia.**_

_**Harry urged the Firebolt forward as they rounded the Ravenclaw goal posts and Cho fell behind. Just as Katie succeeded in scoring the first goal of the match, and the Gryffindor end of the field went wild, he saw it — the Snitch was close to the ground, flitting near one of the barriers.**_

_**Harry dived; Cho saw what he was doing and tore after him — Harry was speeding up, excitement flooding him; dives were his specialty, he was ten feet away —**_

_**Then a Bludger, hit by one of the Ravenclaw Beaters, came pelting out of nowhere; Harry veered off course, avoiding it by an inch, and in those few, crucial seconds, the Snitch had vanished.**_

_**There was a great "Ooooooh" of disappointment from the Gryffindor supporters, but much applause for their Beater from the Ravenclaw end. George Weasley vented his feelings by hitting the second Bludger directly at the offending Beater,**_

"George!" Molly yelled she never understood why so many people liked Quidditch.

_**who was forced to roll right over in midair to avoid it.**_

_"__**Gryffindor leads by eighty points to zero, and look at that Firebolt go! Potter's really putting it through its paces now, see it turn — Chang's Comet is just no match for it, the Firebolt's precision — balance is really noticeable in these long —"**_

_"__**JORDAN! ARE YOU BEING PAID TO ADVERTISE FIREBOLTS? GET ON WITH THE COMMENTARY!"**_

"I'm with Minerva there." Allana said.

"But mom/Mrs. Potter, it is a Firebolt." whined both James and Sirius, Alphonse would have joined in, but he was still trying to get Abraxas out from behind his back.

"He is clearly wishing to get House points abducted." Cygnus observed, eyes never leaving his son-in-law, tonight they would certainly have a little chat.

_**Ravenclaw was pulling back; they had now scored three goals, which put Gryffindor only fifty points ahead — if Cho got the Snitch before him, Ravenclaw would win. Harry dropped lower, narrowly avoiding a Ravenclaw Chaser, scanning the field frantically — a glint of gold, a flutter of tiny wings — the Snitch was circling the Gryffindor goal post…**_

"Just how lovely ironic." Bellatrix stated while rolling her eyes.

_**Harry accelerated, eyes fixed on the speck of gold ahead — but just then, Cho appeared out of thin air, blocking him —**_

_"__**HARRY, THIS IS NO TIME TO BE A GENTLEMAN!" Wood roared as Harry swerved to avoid a collision. "KNOCK HER OFF HER BROOM IF YOU HAVE TO!"**_

"And just what is wrong with being a gentleman?" growled most females in the room while the guys shuddered, Wood was lucky to not be present in the room.

_**Harry turned and caught sight of Cho; she was grinning. The Snitch had vanished again. Harry turned his Firebolt upward and was soon twenty feet above the game. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Cho following him… She'd decided to mark him rather than search for the Snitch herself… All right, then… if she wanted to tail him, she'd have to take the consequences…**_

_**He dived again, and Cho, thinking he'd seen the Snitch, tried to follow; Harry pulled out of the dive very sharply; she hurtled downward; he rose fast as a bullet once more, and then saw it, for the third time — the Snitch was glittering way above the field at the Ravenclaw end.**_

_**He accelerated; so, many feet below, did Cho. He was winning, gaining on the Snitch with every second — then —**_

_"__**Oh!" screamed Cho, pointing.**_

"Huh…what kind of distraction is that?" Lucius asked confused while the others shrugged.

_**Distracted, Harry looked down.**_

_**Three Dementors, three tall, black, hooded Dementors, were looking up at him.**_

"Huh." said everyone in union while Scorpius walked over to Aractus whispering something to him who nodded and stated working on the list he grabbed while the blonde sat back down.

"What was that all about?" James asked his friends.

"James who cares our son is again in danger." Lily said.

"No he isn't." at this turned everyone to Regulus.

"What do you mean Reg?" Sirius asked his little brother.

"Well he isn't hearing his parents like usual." the boy replied shrugging.

"He is right."

"Then what are down there?" Lily asked.

"I think we just figured out on which list Aractus is currently working." said Sirius smirking.

_**He didn't stop to think. Plunging a hand down the neck of his robes, he whipped out his wand and roared, "Expecto patronum!"**_

_**Something silver-white, something enormous, erupted from the end of his wand. **_

Everyone cheered that Harry got his Patronus right.

_**He knew it had shot directly at the Dementors but didn't pause to watch; his mind still miraculously clear, he looked ahead — he was nearly there. He stretched out the hand still grasping his wand and just managed to close his fingers over the small, struggling Snitch.**_

More cheers could be heard from the Griffindors.

_**Madam Hooch's whistle sounded. Harry turned around in midair and saw six scarlet blurs bearing down on him; next moment, the whole team was hugging him so hard he was nearly pulled off his broom. Down below he could hear the roars of the Gryffindors in the crowd.**_

_"__**That's my boy!" Wood kept yelling.**_

"I think he is confusing there something." Sirius said laughing while James muttered something about only him being allowed to marry Lily.

_**Alicia, Angelina, and Katie had all kissed Harry;**_

"Lucky guy."

_**Fred had him in a grip so tight Harry felt as though his head would come off. In complete disarray, the team managed to make its way back to the ground. Harry got off his broom and looked up to see a gaggle of Gryffindor supporters sprinting onto the field, Ron in the lead. Before he knew it, he had been engulfed by the cheering crowd.**_

_"__**Yes!" Ron yelled, yanking Harry's arm into the air. "Yes! Yes!"**_

_"__**Well done, Harry!" said Percy, looking delighted. "Ten Galleons to me! Must find Penelope, excuse me —"**_

Most of the kids started laughing while Molly shook her head in disapproval.

"You know Al, I always liked your uncle Percy." Scorpius said to his friend which was true, Percy was actually the first Weasley to accept Scorpius, he was followed later by George, Charlie and Bill after his wife and kids talked with his head.

_"__**Good for you, Harry!" roared Seamus Finnigan.**_

_"__**Ruddy brilliant!" boomed Hagrid over the heads of the milling Gryffindors.**_

_"__**That was quite some Patronus," said a voice in Harry's ear.**_

"Great you saw him Remus." James said to his friend.

_**Harry turned around to see Professor Lupin, who looked both shaken and pleased.**_

_"__**The Dementors didn't affect me at all!" Harry said excitedly. "I didn't feel a thing!"**_

_"__**That would be because they — er — weren't Dementors," said Professor Lupin. "Come and see —"**_

_**He led Harry out of the crowd until they were able to see the edge of the field.**_

_"__**You gave Mr. Malfoy quite a fright," said Lupin.**_

"Draco." Lucius groaned.

_**Harry stared. Lying in a crumpled heap on the ground were Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, and Marcus Flint,**_

"Great, my son made an idiot out of himself." Aractus groaned.

"Aww, allow the boy some fun Ari." cripped Rosier happily as he zoomed the camera on his House mate's face.

"Don't call me Ari and get that thing out of my face." Aractus snapped while the other only grinned.

_**the Slytherin team Captain, all struggling to remove themselves from long, black, hooded robes. It looked as though Malfoy had been standing on Goyle's shoulders. Standing over them, with an expression of the utmost fury on her face, was Professor McGonagall.**_

"Draco/Marcus." said Lucius and Aractus at the same time.

"They will get some long lecture from me I fear." Severus said while looking up at the ceiling while the two fathers flinched and looked carefully over to the blackhead.

_"__**An unworthy trick!" she was shouting. "A low and cowardly attempt to sabotage the Gryffindor Seeker! Detention for all of you, and fifty points from Slytherin! I shall be speaking to Professor Dumbledore about this, make no mistake! Ah, here he comes now!"**_

"This will certainly be a long lecture." Severus said, eyes still on the ceiling while Lucius and Aractus looked now panicked.

"What is with them?" Allana asked her son in confusion, ignoring the panicked yelp from both her husband and Abraxas.

"Let's just say that Severus can be more frightening then any Dementor." James replied to his mother who was now staring wide eyed at the boy.

"Oh, so he inherited that also from Eileen." she said while shuddering.

_**If anything could have set the seal on Gryffindor's victory, it was this. Ron, who had fought his way through to Harry's side, doubled up with laughter as they watched Malfoy fighting to extricate himself from the robe, Goyle's head still stuck inside it.**_

_"__**Come on, Harry!" said George, fighting his way over. "Party! Gryffindor common room, now!"**_

_"__**Right," said Harry, and feeling happier than he had in ages, he and the rest of the team led the way, still in their scarlet robes, out of the stadium and back up to the castle.**_

_**It felt as though they had already won the Quidditch Cup; the party went on all day and well into the night. Fred and George Weasley disappeared for a couple of hours and returned with armfuls of bottles of butterbeer, pumpkin fizz, and several bags full of Honeydukes sweets.**_

_"__**How did you do that?" squealed Angelina Johnson as George started throwing Peppermint Toads into the crowd.**_

_"__**With a little help from Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs," Fred muttered in Harry's ear.**_

"Your welcome." the mentioned foursome replied smiling.

_**Only one person wasn't joining in the festivities. Hermione, incredibly, was sitting in a corner, attempting to read an enormous book entitled Home Life and Social Habits of British Muggles. Harry broke away from the table where Fred and George had started juggling butterbeer bottles and went over to her.**_

_"__**Did you even come to the match?" he asked her.**_

_"__**Of course I did," said Hermione in a strangely high-pitched voice, not looking up. "And I'm very glad we won, and I think you did really well, but I need to read this by Monday."**_

_"__**Come on, Hermione, come and have some food," Harry said, looking over at Ron and wondering whether he was in a good enough mood to bury the hatchet.**_

_"__**I can't, Harry. I've still got four hundred and twenty-two pages to read!" said Hermione, now sounding slightly hysterical. "Anyway…" She glanced over at Ron too. "He doesn't want me to join in."**_

"Poor girl."

_**There was no arguing with this, as Ron chose that moment to say loudly, "If Scabbers hadn't just been eaten, he could have had some of those Fudge Flies. He used to really like them —"**_

"That was really mean thing to say." Bella said while everyone nodded.

"I really can't believe my son." Arthur said.

"Tell me, I'm always wondering how he and dad are still friends and how he got aunt Hermione. I'm still glad that Rose is more like my aunt, but I'm slightly worried about Hugo still, but he likes Abrix so it is fine." Al told his friends through they link, he always wondered that.

_**Hermione burst into tears. Before Harry could say or do anything, she tucked the enormous book under her arm, and, still sobbing, ran toward the staircase to the girls' dormitories and out of sight.**_

_"__**Can't you give her a break?" Harry asked Ron quietly.**_

"At least he finally defends her." Lily said angrily.

_"__**No," said Ron flatly. "If she just acted like she was sorry — but she'll never admit she's wrong, Hermione. She's still acting like Scabbers has gone on vacation or something."**_

_**The Gryffindor party ended only when Professor McGonagall turned up in her tartan dressing gown and hair net at one in the morning, to insist that they all go to bed. Harry and Ron climbed the stairs to their dormitory, still discussing the match. At last, exhausted, Harry climbed into bed, twitched the hangings of his four-poster shut to block out a ray of moonlight, lay back, and felt himself almost instantly drifting off to sleep…**_

_**He had a very strange dream. He was walking through a forest, his Firebolt over his shoulder, following something silvery-white. It was winding its way through the trees ahead, and he could only catch glimpses of it between the leaves. Anxious to catch up with it, he sped up, but as he moved faster, so did his quarry. Harry broke into a run, and ahead he heard hooves gathering speed. Now he was running flat out, and ahead he could hear galloping. Then he turned a corner into a clearing and —**_

"At least this wasn't a nightmare again."

"Uh, oh…" Ted suddenly said while looking pale at the future professors. "I remember you implied that he was innocent?"

"Yes." come the reply.

"But…"

"He was after something or better someone else and well you must have already heard from grandaunt Dromeda that he is slightly crazy in his ideas." Scorpius explained, this seemed to ease Ted slightly.

"Ok, just what is wrong?" Sirius asked, he had a bad feeling about this.

"You will see in a short while." Al said while nodding to Ted to continue.

_**"AAARRGGHH! NOOO!"**_

_**Harry woke as suddenly as though he'd been hit in the face. Disoriented in the total darkness, he fumbled with his hangings, he could hear movements around him, and Seamus Finnigan's voice from the other side of the room.**_

_"__**What's going on?"**_

_**Harry thought he heard the dormitory door slam. At last finding the divide in his curtains, he ripped them back, and at the same moment, Dean Thomas lit his lamp.**_

_**Ron was sitting up in bed, the hangings torn from one side, a look of utmost terror on his face.**_

_"__**Black! Sirius Black! With a knife!"**_

"WHAT!" screamed everyone in shock, but Ted continued before someone could comment more.

_"__**What?"**_

_"__**Here! Just now! Slashed the curtains! Woke me up!"**_

_"__**You sure you weren't dreaming, Ron?" said Dean.**_

_"__**Look at the curtains! I tell you, he was here!"**_

_**They all scrambled out of bed; Harry reached the dormitory door first, and they sprinted back down the staircase. Doors opened behind them, and sleepy voices called after them.**_

_"__**Who shouted?"**_

_"__**What're you doing?"**_

_**The common room was lit with the glow of the dying fire, still littered with the debris from the party. It was deserted.**_

_"__**Are you sure you weren't dreaming, Ron?"**_

_"__**I'm telling you, I saw him!"**_

_"__**What's all the noise?"**_

_"__**Professor McGonagall told us to go to bed!"**_

_**A few of the girls had come down their staircase, pulling on dressing gowns and yawning. Boys, too, were reappearing.**_

_"__**Excellent, are we carrying on?" said Fred Weasley brightly.**_

_"__**Everyone back upstairs!" said Percy, hurrying into the common room and pinning his Head Boy badge to his pajamas as he spoke.**_

_"__**Perce — Sirius Black!" said Ron faintly. "In our dormitory! With a knife! Woke me up!"**_

_**The common room went very still.**_

"We can understand." Arthur said in a faint voice while arguing with himself that they were already told that Sirius was innocent.

_"__**Nonsense!" said Percy, looking startled. "You had too much to eat, Ron — had a nightmare —"**_

_"__**I'm telling you —"**_

_"__**Now, really, enough's enough!"**_

_**Professor McGonagall was back. She slammed the portrait behind her as she entered the common room and stared furiously around.**_

_"__**I am delighted that Gryffindor won the match, but this is getting ridiculous! Percy, I expected better of you!"**_

_"__**I certainly didn't authorize this, Professor!" said Percy, puffing himself up indignantly. "I was just telling them all to get back to bed! My brother Ron here had a nightmare —"**_

_"__**IT WASN'T A NIGHTMARE!" Ron yelled. "PROFESSOR, I WOKE UP, AND SIRIUS BLACK WAS STANDING OVER ME, HOLDING A KNIFE!"**_

_**Professor McGonagall stared at him.**_

_"__**Don't be ridiculous, Weasley, how could he possibly have gotten through the portrait hole?"**_

Both Frank and Alice flinched as everyone was now staing at them.

"Yep, loosing that list certainly coused trouble."

_"__**Ask him!" said Ron, pointing a shaking finger at the back of Sir Cadogan's picture. "Ask him if he saw —"**_

_**Glaring suspiciously at Ron, Professor McGonagall pushed the portrait back open and went outside. The whole common room listened with bated breath. "Sir Cadogan, did you just let a man enter Gryffindor Tower?"**_

_"__**Certainly, good lady!" cried Sir Cadogan.**_

_**There was a stunned silence, both inside and outside the common room.**_

_"__**You — you did?" said Professor McGonagall. "But — but the password!"**_

_"__**He had 'em!" said Sir Cadogan proudly. "Had the whole week's, my lady! Read 'em off a little piece of paper!"**_

_**Professor McGonagall pulled herself back through the portrait hole to face the stunned crowd. She was white as chalk.**_

_"__**Which person," she said, her voice shaking, "which abysmally foolish person wrote down this week's passwords and left them lying around?"**_

"Hey!" yelled the future parents of said absolutely foolish person.

_**There was utter silence, broken by the smallest of terrified squeaks. Neville Longbottom, trembling from head to fluffy slippered toes, raised his hand slowly into the air.**_

"And this is the end." Ted said.

"Wow, that was certainly a dramatic end for the chapter."

"Who will read next?"

"I think Rudolphus should have the honors." said Bellatrix suddenly as she grabbed the book and brought it over to the person on the couch.

_To be continued…_


	15. Bad idea, Snape's Grudge

A/N: Sorry guys if I'm taking to long with the new chapter, but I'm working on a Challenge fic for To-LoVe-Ru it needs to be done till the 16th of this months and the reviews will count as votes, so I would appreciate help there even a "_**nice**_" will do probably…

XV. Bad idea, _**Snape's Grudge**_

* * *

After getting over the confusion and managing to not jump when little Dora decided that she now wants to sit in his lap turned Rudolphus his attention to the book. '_I really wish that Rabastan would be here' _he thought sighing. Reading the title he raised one eyebrow and looked at the three professors while the others were staring at him.

"Should I be worried that Lucius over there will go berserk on those four?" Rudolphus asked while nodding his head to the four Marauders.

"Just read Rudolphus." Al said smiling kindly at the man who nodded while Scorpius carefully reached for his wand, he had the feeling that he would need it together with the Calming Draught he had with him.

"The title is _**Snape's Grudge.**_" at this the quartet groaned while Lucius flashed them a glare while sitting closer to Severus.

_**No one in Gryffindor Tower slept that night.**_

"Sorry…" mumbled Sirius at the glares he received from the future Griffindor mothers and grandmother.

_**They knew that the castle was being searched again, and the whole House stayed awake in the common room, waiting to hear whether Black had been caught. Professor McGonagall came back at dawn, to tell them that he had again escaped.**_

_**Throughout the day, everywhere they went they saw signs of tighter security; Professor Flitwick could be seen teaching the front doors to recognize a large picture of Sirius Black;**_

A few people couldn't help, but snigger.

"Wouldn't it be easier to hand out a shield saying _"No dogs allowed"_?" Lily asked at which everyone broke out laughing while Sirius started pouting.

"Really funny Evans." he mumbled.

_**Filch was suddenly bustling up and down the corridors, boarding up everything from tiny cracks in the walls to mouse holes.**_

"And what is new about that?" everyone magical who already was at Hogwarts asked.

_**Sir Cadogan had been fired.**_

"At least you did something good Paddy." James said to his still sulking friend.

_**His portrait had been taken back to its lonely landing on the seventh floor, and the Fat Lady was back. She had been expertly restored, but was still extremely nervous, and had agreed to return to her job only on condition that she was given extra protection. A bunch of surly security trolls had been hired to guard her. They paced the corridor in a menacing group, talking in grunts and comparing the size of their clubs.**_

"Wow, now that looked probably pretty interesting." Rosier said grinning at the image.

_**Harry couldn't help noticing that the statue of the one-eyed witch on the third floor remained unguarded and unblocked. It seemed that Fred and George had been right in thinking that they — and now Harry, Ron, and Hermione — were the only ones who knew about the hidden passageway within it.**_

_"__**D'you reckon we should tell someone?" Harry asked Ron.**_

_"__**We know he's not coming in through Honeyduke's," said Ron dismissively. "We'd've heard if the shop had been broken into."**_

_**Harry was glad Ron took this view. If the one-eyed witch was boarded up too, he would never be able to go into Hogsmeade again.**_

"HARRY JAMES POTTER! STOP THINKING LIKE YOUR FATHER!" yelled both Lily and Allana together, it was now James's turn to sulk.

_**Ron had become an instant celebrity. For the first time in his life, people were paying more attention to him than to Harry, **_

"Jealous prat." heard Remus Al muttering under his breath, he must really have a strained relationship with his uncle.

_**and it was clear that Ron was rather enjoying the experience. Though still severely shaken by the night's events, he was happy to tell anyone who asked what had happened, with a wealth of detail.**_

_"… __**I was asleep, and I heard this ripping noise, and I thought it was in my dream, you know? But then there was this draft… I woke up and one side of the hangings on my bed had been pulled down… I rolled over… and I saw him standing over me… like a skeleton, with loads of filthy hair… holding this great long knife, must've been twelve inches… and he looked at me, and I looked at him, and then I yelled, and he scampered.**_

_"__**Why, though?" Ron added to Harry as the group of second year girls who had been listening to his chilling tale departed. "Why did he run?"**_

"Well it could have been the fact that you woke up and screamed pretty loud and that Sirius probably didn't find what he was looking for." Andromeda said.

_**Harry had been wondering the same thing. Why had Black, having got the wrong bed, not silenced Ron and proceeded to Harry? **_

"Sometimes could dad be really slow." Al said.

"Just like James then." Remus said playfully.

"Oi."

_**Black had proved twelve years ago that he didn't mind murdering innocent people, and this time he had been facing five unarmed boys, four of whom were asleep.**_

_"__**He must've known he'd have a job getting back out of the castle once you'd yelled and woken people up," said Harry thoughtfully. "He'd've had to kill the whole house to get back through the portrait hole… then he would've met the teachers…"**_

_**Neville was in total disgrace. **_

"My poor baby." Alice said softly.

_**Professor McGonagall was so furious with him she had banned him from all future Hogsmeade visits, given him a detention, and forbidden anyone to give him the password into the tower.**_

"Wow…she never was _THAT_ furious with us." James said in shock.

"I know that she was mad, but that is unjust." exclaimed both Alice and Frank in shock.

_**Poor Neville was forced to wait outside the common room every night for somebody to let him in, while the security trolls leered unpleasantly at him.**_

"Unfair." Alice grumbled, feeling sorry for her son.

"Uh…Ali I think this is still softer then what he would get from my mom." Frank said shuddering.

"What do you mean?" his girlfriend asked.

_**None of these punishments, however, came close to matching the one his grandmother had in store for him.**_

"See."

"Wow, she is certainly a formidable woman." Rudolphus said suddenly while looking at Frank. "Would never wish to get on her bad side." at this the three professor exchanged knowing glances.

_**Two days after Black's break-in, she sent Neville the very worst thing a Hogwarts student could receive over breakfast — a Howler.**_

_**The school owls swooped into the Great Hall carrying the mail as usual, and Neville choked as a huge barn owl landed in front of him, a scarlet envelope clutched in its beak. Harry and Ron, who were sitting opposite him, recognized the letter as a Howler at once — Ron had got one from his mother the year before.**_

"What did he do?" Allana asked both Molly and Arthur.

"Flew in broad daylight with an enchanted car and parked it in the Whooping Willow." come the slightly more detailed explanation.

"Take it that I didn't ask." Allana replied.

_"__**Run for it, Neville," Ron advised.**_

_**Neville didn't need telling twice. He seized the envelope, and holding it before him like a bomb, sprinted out of the hall, while the Slytherin table exploded with laughter at the sight of him. They heard the Howler go off in the entrance hall — Neville's grandmother's voice, magically magnified to a hundred times its usual volume, shrieking about how he had brought shame on the whole family.**_

"Mom, please lay of off him." Frank pleaded.

_**Harry was too busy feeling sorry for Neville to notice immediately that he had a letter too. Hedwig got his attention by nipping him sharply on the wrist.**_

_"__**Ouch! Oh — thanks, Hedwig."**_

_**Harry tore open the envelope while Hedwig helped herself to some of Neville's cornflakes. The note inside said:**_

_**Dear Harry and Ron,**_

_**How about having tea with me this afternoon 'round six? I'll come collect you from the castle. WAIT FOR ME IN THE ENTRANCE HALL; YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED OUT ON YOUR OWN.**_

_**Cheers,**_

_**Hagrid**_

_"__**He probably wants to hear all about Black!" said Ron.**_

_**So at six o'clock that afternoon, Harry and Ron left Gryffindor Tower, passed the security trolls at a run, and headed down to the entrance hall.**_

_**Hagrid was already waiting for them.**_

_"__**All right, Hagrid!" said Ron. "S'pose you want to hear about Saturday night, do you?"**_

_**"I've already heard all abou' it," said Hagrid, opening the front doors and leading them outside.**_

_"__**Oh," said Ron, looking slightly put out.**_

"I fail to notice the sense in barging with such a story." Narcissa said.

"You aren't the only one Cissy." Bellatrix replied.

_**The first thing they saw on entering Hagrid's cabin was Buckbeak, who was stretched out on top of Hagrid's patchwork quilt, his enormous wings folded tight to his body, enjoying a large plate of dead ferrets. Averting his eyes from this unpleasant sight, Harry saw a gigantic, hairy brown suit and a very horrible yellow-and-orange tie hanging from the top of Hagrid's wardrobe door.**_

_"__**What are they for, Hagrid?" said Harry.**_

_"__**Buckbeak's case against the Committee fer the Disposal o' Dangerous Creatures," said Hagrid. "This Friday. Him an' me'll be goin' down ter London together. I've booked two beds on the Knight Bus…"**_

"Hopefully it will end well."

_**Harry felt a nasty pang of guilt. He had completely forgotten that Buckbeak's trial was so near, and judging by the uneasy look on Ron's face, he had too. They had also forgotten their promise about helping him prepare Buckbeak's defense; the arrival of the Firebolt had driven it clean out of their minds.**_

"Typical man and new brooms." Lily said in an annoyed tone while giving James an _he-inherited-that –from-you _glare.

_**Hagrid poured them tea and offered them a plate of Bath buns but they knew better than to accept; they had had too much experience with Hagrid's cooking.**_

_"__**I got somethin' ter discuss with you two," said Hagrid, sitting himself between them and looking uncharacteristically serious.**_

_"__**What?" said Harry.**_

_**"Hermione," said Hagrid.**_

"It is nice that he is trying to help." Daria said smiling while Abraxas didn't dare to make a comment.

_"__**What about her?" said Ron.**_

_**"She's in a righ' state, that's what. She's bin comin' down ter visit me a lot since Chris'mas. Bin feelin' lonely. Firs' yeh weren' talking to her because o' the Firebolt, now yer not talkin' to her because her cat —"**_

_**"– ate Scabbers!" Ron interjected angrily.**_

_"__**Because her cat acted like all cats do," **_

"Correct." Narcissa said nodding.

_**Hagrid continued doggedly. "She's cried a fair few times, yeh know. Goin' through a rough time at the moment. Bitten off more'n she can chew, if yeh ask me, all the work she's tryin' ter do. Still found time ter help me with Buckbeak's case, mind… She's found some really good stuff fer me… reckon he'll stand a good chance now…"**_

"I still don't know just how that girl manages all of this." Ted said while shaking his head.

_"__**Hagrid, we should've helped as well — sorry —" Harry began awkwardly.**_

_**"I'm not blamin' yeh!" said Hagrid, waving Harry's apology aside. "Gawd knows yeh've had enough ter be getting' on with. I've seen yeh practicin' Quidditch ev'ry hour o' the day an' night — but I gotta tell yeh, I thought you two'd value yer friend more'n broomsticks or rats. Tha's all."**_

_**Harry and Ron exchanged uncomfortable looks.**_

_"__**Really upset, she was, when Black nearly stabbed yeh, Ron. She's got her heart in the right place, Hermione has, an' you two not talkin' to her —"**_

_"__**If she'd just get rid of that cat, I'd speak to her again!" Ron said angrily. "But she's still sticking up for it! It's a maniac, and she won't hear a word against it!"**_

Narcissa started growling again, Ron would certainly get it from her.

_"__**Ah, well, people can be a bit stupid abou' their pets," said Hagrid wisely. **_

"At least he admits his problem." Phineas muttered to himself.

_**Behind him, Buckbeak spat a few ferret **_

Every gaze went suddenly to Scorpius who started coughing while Devona mentioned to Rudolphus to continue reading.

_**bones onto Hagrid's pillow**__**.**_

Some of the females in the room shuddered.

_**They spent the rest of their visit discussing Gryffindor's improved chances for the Quidditch Cup. At nine o'clock, Hagrid walked them back up to the castle.**_

_**A large group of people was bunched around the bulletin board when they returned to the common room.**_

_"__**Hogsmeade, next weekend!" said Ron, craning over the heads to read the new notice. "What d'you reckon?" he added quietly to Harry as they went to sit down.**_

_"__**Well, Filch hasn't done anything about the passage into Honeydukes…" Harry said, even more quietly.**_

_"__**Harry!" said a voice in his right ear. Harry started and looked around at Hermione, who was sitting at the table right behind them and clearing a space in the wall of books that had been hiding her.**_

_"__**Harry, if you go into Hogsmeade again… I'll tell Professor McGonagall about that map!" said Hermione.**_

"Ah, the voice of reason." James and Sirius said while looking at Remus.

"Which usually gets ignored." the werewolf added.

_"__**Can you hear someone talking, Harry?" growled Ron, not looking at Hermione.**_

"RONALD WEASLEY, THAT GIRL IS ONLY WORRIED FOR HARRY!" Molly snapped in anger, both Black girls will need to get in line then she will be the one to first give her future son a piece of her mind.

_**"Ron, how can you let him go with you? After what Sirius Black nearly did to you! I mean it, I'll tell —"**_

_"__**So now you're trying to get Harry expelled!" said Ron furiously. "Haven't you done enough damage this year?"**_

"Uncle Ron will get it." Al said smirking as he looked over at the sheeting Molly, Lily and Black sisters.

_**Hermione opened her mouth to respond, but with a soft hiss, Crookshanks leapt onto her lap. Hermione took one frightened look at the expression on Ron's face, gathered up Crookshanks, and hurried away toward the girls' dormitories.**_

_"__**So how about it?" Ron said to Harry as though there had been no interruption. "Come on, last time we went you didn't see anything. You haven't even been inside Zonko's yet!"**_

_**Harry looked around to check that Hermione was well out of earshot.**_

_"__**Okay," he said. "But I'm taking the Invisibility Cloak this time."**_

"Harry…" Lily growled and James thought it the safest to back away from her.

_**On Saturday morning, Harry packed his Invisibility Cloak in his bag, slipped the Marauder's Map into his pocket, and went down to breakfast with everyone else. Hermione kept shooting suspicious looks down the table at him, but he avoided her eye and was careful to let her see him walking back up the marble staircase in the entrance hall as everybody else proceeded to the front doors.**_

_"__**Bye!" Harry called to Ron. "See you when you get back!"**_

_**Ron grinned and winked.**_

_**Harry hurried up to the third floor, slipping the Marauder's Map out of his pocket as he went. Crouching behind the one-eyed witch, he smoothed it out. A tiny dot was moving in his direction. Harry squinted at it. The minuscule writing next to it read Neville Longbottom.**_

_**Harry quickly pulled out his wand, muttered, "Dissendium!" and shoved his bag into the statue, but before he could climb in himself, Neville came around the corner.**_

_"__**Harry! I forgot you weren't going to Hogsmeade either!"**_

_"__**Hi, Neville," said Harry, moving swiftly away from the statue and pushing the map back into his pocket. "What are you up to?"**_

_"__**Nothing," shrugged Neville. "Want a game of Exploding Snap?"**_

_"__**Er — not now — I was going to go to the library and do that vampire essay for Lupin —"**_

"Would it have killed him tgo involve my son also in to that." Alice snapped angrily.

"The got closer friends only after fifth year." Al explained.

_"__**I'll come with you!" said Neville brightly. "I haven't done it either!"**_

_"__**Er — hang on — yeah, I forgot, I finished it last night!"**_

Both Lily and Alice growled.

_"__**Great, you can help me!" said Neville, his round face anxious. "I don't understand that thing about the garlic at all — do they have to eat it, or —"**_

"Actually they…" Al started, but Devona held her hand up which stopped him from giving a lecture.

"Wow, she really has control over him." Lucius whispered to his best friend.

_**He broke off with a small gasp, looking over Harry's shoulder**__**.**_

_**It was Snape. Neville took a quick step behind Harry.**_

"Devs gets also the same reaction from him." Scorpius said smirking.

_"__**And what are you two doing here?" said Snape, coming to a halt and looking from one to the other. "An odd place to meet —"**_

_**To Harry's immense disquiet, Snape's black eyes flicked to the doorways on either side of them, and then to the one-eyed witch.**_

"I probably remembered you for hanging out by that statue to much." Severus said.

_"__**We're not — meeting here," said Harry. "We just — met here."**_

_"__**Indeed?" said Snape. "You have a habit of turning up in unexpected places, Potter, and you are very rarely there for no good reason… I suggest the pair of you return to Gryffindor Tower, where you belong."**_

"You know, dad was pretty much right about that regarding your father." Devona said to Al.

"I need to agree and it seems as if that statement also fits me." he replied smirking.

_**Harry and Neville set off without another word. As they turned the corner, Harry looked back. Snape was running one of his hands over the one-eyed witch's head, examining it closely.**_

"Looks like you are starting to get on to something." Sirius said.

"It seems like that."

_**Harry managed to shake Neville off at the Fat Lady by telling him the password, then pretending he'd left his vampire essay in the library and doubling back. **_

"Rude much?" Alice asked while Lily and James bowed they heads in shame.

_**Once out of sight of the security trolls, he pulled out the map again and held it close to his nose.**_

_**The third floor corridor seemed to be deserted. Harry scanned the map carefully and saw, with a leap of relief, that the tiny dot labeled Severus Snape was now back in its office.**_

_**He sprinted back to the one-eyed witch, opened her hump, heaved himself inside, and slid down to meet his bag at the bottom of the stone chute. He wiped the Marauder's Map blank again, then set off at a run.**_

_**Harry, completely hidden beneath the Invisibility Cloak, emerged into the sunlight outside Honeydukes and prodded Ron in the back.**_

_"__**It's me," he muttered.**_

_"__**What kept you?" Ron hissed.**_

_"__**Snape was hanging around."**_

_**They set off up the High Street.**_

_"__**Where are you?" Ron kept muttering out of the corner of his mouth. "Are you still there? This feels weird…"**_

"I always hated it when James wore it." Al muttered.

"Yes because so we couldn't defend us from is pranks in time." Scorpius added.

_**They went to the post office; Ron pretended to be checking the price of an owl to Bill in Egypt so that Harry could have a good look around. The owls sat hooting softly down at him, at least three hundred of them; from Great Grays right down to tiny little Scops owls ("Local Deliveries Only"), which were so small they could have sat in the palm of Harry's hand.**_

"It must really look interesting." said Mr. Evans in awe, his daughter's world was certainly interesting and now they at least hear a bit more about her school which really sounded now like any other boarding school wit the slight difference of magic.

_**Then they visited Zonko's, which was so packed with students Harry had to exercise great care not to tread on anyone and cause a panic. There were jokes and tricks to fulfill even Fred's and George's wildest dreams; Harry gave Ron whispered orders and passed him some gold from under the cloak. They left Zonko's with their money bags considerably lighter than they had been on entering, but their pockets bulging with Dungbombs, Hiccup Sweets, Frog Spawn Soap, and a Nose-Biting Teacup apiece.**_

_**The day was fine and breezy, and neither of them felt like staying indoors, so they walked past the Three Broomsticks and climbed a slope to visit the Shrieking Shack, the most haunted dwelling in Britain. It**_

At this the Marauders broke out laughing and were soon joined in by the others after they realized what was actually that funny about visiting the Shrieking Shack, only the three professors looked solemnly at the book. Both Scorpius and Al placed they hands on Devona's, it was not easy to hear about her father's grave.

_**stood a little way above the rest of the village, and even in daylight was slightly creepy, with its boarded windows and dank overgrown garden.**_

_"__**Even the Hogwarts ghosts avoid it," said Ron as they leaned on the fence, looking up at it. "I asked Nearly Headless Nick… he says he's heard a very rough crowd lives here. No one can get in. Fred and George tried, obviously, but all the entrances are sealed shut…"**_

"To bad." Sirius said in a disappointed tone.

"Yes, it should have stayed sealed." Devona muttered at which Remus stared at her curiously.

_**Harry, feeling hot from their climb, was just considering taking off the cloak for a few minutes when they heard voices nearby. Someone was climbing toward the house from the other side of the hill; moments later, Malfoy had appeared, followed closely by Crabbe and Goyle. Malfoy was speaking.**_

_"… __**should have an owl from Father any time now. He had to go to the hearing to tell them about my arm… about how I couldn't use it for three months…"**_

While Aractus went again to the _'talk' _list was meanwhile Mr. Potter trying to get Abraxas away from him because Narcissa and Daria looked murderous.

_**Crabbe and Goyle sniggered.**_

_"__**I really wish I could hear that great hairy moron trying to defend himself… 'There's no 'arm in 'im, 'onest —'… That Hippogriff's as good as dead —"**_

"DRACO!" Narcissa snapped, she couldn1t believe her son's lacking love for animals.

_**Malfoy suddenly caught sight of Ron. His pale face split in a malevolent grin.**_

_"__**What are you doing, Weasley?"**_

_**Malfoy looked up at the crumbling house behind Ron.**_

_"__**Suppose you'd love to live here, wouldn't you, Weasley? Dreaming about having your own bedroom? I heard your family all sleep in one room — is that true?"**_

_**Harry seized the back of Ron's robes to stop him from leaping on Malfoy.**_

_"__**Leave him to me," he hissed in Ron's ear.**_

"This should be good." Sirius said grinning excitedly.

"Sirius I hope that you remember the chapter title and who Draco's godfather is." Remus said at which his friend paled.

_**The opportunity was too perfect to miss. Harry crept silently around behind Malfoy, Crabbe, andGoyle, bent down, and scooped a large handful of mud out of the path.**_

_"__**We were just discussing your friend Hagrid," Malfoy said to Ron. "Just trying to imagine what he's saying to the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures. D'you think he'll cry when they cut off his Hippogriff's —"**_

_**SPLAT!**_

_**Malfoy's head jerked forward as the mud hit him; his silverblond hair was suddenly dripping in muck.**_

_"__**What the —?"**_

_**Ron had to hold onto the fence to keep himself standing, he was laughing so hard. Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle spun stupidly on the spot, staring wildly around, Malfoy trying to wipe his hair clean.**_

_"__**What was that? Who did that?"**_

_"__**Very haunted up here, isn't it?" said Ron, with the air of one commenting on the weather.**_

"Brilliant." most of the boys said smiling.

_**Crabbe and Goyle were looking scared. Their bulging muscles were no use against ghosts. Malfoy was staring madly around at the deserted landscape.**_

_**Harry sneaked along the path, where a particularly sloppy puddle yielded some foul-smelling, green sludge.**_

_**SPLATTER!**_

_**Crabbe and Goyle caught some this time. Goyle hopped furiously on the spot, trying to rub it out of his small, dull eyes.**_

_"__**It came from over there!" said Malfoy, wiping his face, and staring at a spot some six feet to the left of Harry.**_

"At least he is close." Lucius said.

_**Crabbe blundered forward, his long arms outstretched like a zombie. Harry dodged around him, picked up a stick, and lobbed it at Crabbe's back. Harry doubled up with silent laughter as Crabbe did a kind of pirouette in midair, trying to see who had thrown it. As Ron was the only person Crabbe could see, it was Ron he started toward, but Harry stuck out his leg. Crabbe stumbled — and his huge, flat foot caught the hem of Harry's cloak. Harry felt a great tug, then the cloak slid off his face.**_

_**For a split second, Malfoy stared at him.**_

_"__**AAARGH!" he yelled, pointing at Harry's head. Then he turned tail and ran, at breakneck speed, back down the hill, Crabbe and Goyle behind him.**_

"If that boy is anything like our dear Lucy here, then will have Sev company for the coming week in his chambers at night." Rosier said grinning while dodging a pillow.

"Don't call me that." Lucius growled.

"Sure thing Lucy."

"Grrrr…."

_**Harry tugged the cloak up again, but the damage was done.**_

_"__**Harry!" Ron said, stumbling forward and staring hopelessly at the point where Harry had disappeared, "you'd better run for it! If Malfoy tells anyone — you'd better get back to the castle, quick —"**_

_"__**See you later," said Harry, and without another word, he tore back down the path toward Hogsmeade.**_

_**Would Malfoy believe what he had seen? Would anyone believe Malfoy?**_

At this everyone turned in Severus's direction again then back to the book before saying collectively; "Yes."

_**Nobody knew about the Invisibility Cloak — nobody except Dumbledore. Harry's stomach turned over — Dumbledore would know exactly what had happened, if Malfoy said anything —**_

"He won't do anything." Al said sourly to himself which made Remus stare at him confused, that boy was truly different.

_**Back into Honeydukes, back down the cellar steps, across the stone floor, through the trapdoor — Harry pulled off the cloak, tucked it under his arm, and ran, flat out, along the passage… Malfoy would get back first… how long would it take him to find a teacher? Panting, a sharp pain in his side, Harry didn't slow down until he reached the stone slide. He would have to leave the cloak where it was, it was too much of a giveaway in case Malfoy had tipped off a teacher — he hid it in a shadowy corner, then started to climb, fast as he could, his sweaty hands slipping on the sides of the chute. He reached the inside of the witch's hump, tapped it with his wand, stuck his head through, and hoisted himself out; the hump closed, and just as Harry jumped out from behind the statue, he heard quick footsteps approaching.**_

_**It was Snape. He approached Harry at a swift walk, his black robes swishing, then stopped in front of him.**_

"Devs uses that always to gain a dramaticall effect." Scorpius said while Devona hit him over the head.

_"__**So," he said.**_

_**There was a look of suppressed triumph about him. Harry tried to look innocent, all too aware of his sweaty face and his muddy hands, which he quickly hid in his pockets.**_

"Even with clean hands that look would never work on me." Severus said while the others nodded.

_"__**Come with me, Potter," said Snape.**_

_**Harry followed him downstairs, trying to wipe his hands clean on the inside of his robes without Snape noticing. They walked down the stairs to the dungeons and then into Snape's office.**_

_**Harry had been in here only once before, and he had been in very serious trouble then too. Snape had acquired a few more slimy horrible things in jars since last time, all standing on shelves behind his desk, glinting in the firelight and adding to the threatening atmosphere.**_

"You certainly haven't seen Devona's office then." Al said while most of the others shuddered.

_"__**Sit," said Snape.**_

_**Harry sat. Snape, however, remained, standing.**_

"That is never good." James said flinching.

_"__**Mr. Malfoy has just been to see me with a strange story, Potter," said Snape.**_

"More like bust in screaming in panic and tackling him in a desperate hug." Rosier, Aractus and Narcissa said while two boys blushed, the others only broke out laughing while Abraxas nearly whimpered.

_**Harry didn't say anything.**_

_"__**He tells me that he was up by the Shrieking Shack when he ran into Weasley — apparently alone."**_

_**Still, Harry didn't speak.**_

_"__**Mr. Malfoy states that he was standing talking to Weasley, when a large amount of mud hit him in the back of the head. How do you think that could have happened?"**_

_**Harry tried to look mildly surprised.**_

_"__**I don't know, Professor."**_

_**Snape's eyes were boring into Harry's. It was exactly like trying to stare down a Hippogriff. Harry tried hard not to blink.**_

"HEY!" yelled Devona, Severus, Al, Lucius, Scorpius, Bella and Narcissa together, offended.

_"__**Mr. Malfoy then saw an extraordinary apparition. Can you imagine what it might have been, Potter?"**_

_**"No," said Harry, now trying to sound innocently curious.**_

"Your father usually fails at that." Remus stated.

_"__**It was your head, Potter. Floating in midair."**_

_**There was a long silence.**_

_"__**Maybe he'd better go to Madam Pomfrey," said Harry. "If he's seeing things like —"**_

"Not going to work son."

_"__**What would your head have been doing in Hogsmeade, Potter?" said Snape softly.**_

Most people who knew that tone shuddered.

_**"Your head is not allowed in Hogsmeade. No part of your body has permission to be in Hogsmeade."**_

_"__**I know that," said Harry, striving to keep his face free of guilt or fear. "It sounds like Malfoy's having hallucin —"**_

_"__**Malfoy is not having hallucinations," snarled Snape,**_

"Aww…and here is our dear Sevvie's protectiveness for his godson." Rosier said happily.

"Don't call me that and of course I'm protective about Draco." Severus snapped.

_**and he bent down, a hand on each arm of Harry's chair, so that their faces were a foot apart. "If your head was in Hogsmeade, so was the rest of you."**_

_"__**I've been up in Gryffindor Tower," said Harry. "Like you told —"**_

_"__**Can anyone confirm that?"**_

_**Harry didn't say anything. Snape's thin mouth curled into a horrible smile.**_

_"__**So," he said, straightening up again. "Everyone from the Minister of Magic downward has been trying to keep famous Harry Potter safe from Sirius Black. But famous Harry Potter is a law unto himself. Let the ordinary people worry about his safety! Famous Harry Potter goes where he wants to, with no thought for the consequences."**_

Both Sirius and James were about to comment, but the glares they received from a few occupants of the room shut them down.

"And you know that Severus is right, even if we know that Sirius is innocent, the people in that time don't and they do everything to protect him while he goes against all what they did." Allana snapped.

_**A small amount of talent on the Quidditch field made him think he was a cut above the rest of us too. Strutting around the place with his friends and admirers… The resemblance between you is uncanny."**_

"We really made you bitter." James said guiltily at the glare of his mother.

"What did you expect?" Severus asked.

_"__**My dad didn't strut," said Harry, before he could stop himself. "And neither do I."**_

"Actually both your grandfather and father did sometime." Allana said.

_"__**Your father didn't set much store by rules either," Snape went on, pressing his advantage, his thin face full of malice. "Rules were for lesser mortals, not Quidditch Cup-winners. His head was so swollen —"**_

"Uhm…I wasn't that bad…" thought the looks he received told him otherwise.

_"__**SHUT UP!"**_

"Harry, no!" both Sirius and James yelled in panic while Lucius's face darkened, Scorpius meanwhile was worriedly glancing at his friends.

_**Harry was suddenly on his feet. Rage such as he had not felt since his last night in Privet Drive was coursing through him. He didn't care that Snape's face had gone rigid, the black eyes flashing dangerously.**_

_"__**What did you say to me, Potter?"**_

_"__**I told you to shut up about my dad!" Harry yelled. "I know the truth, all right? He saved your life! Dumbledore told me! You wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for my dad!"**_

"Thought that meddling old man certainly failed to mention the full accident." Devona hissed in a dangerously low tone.

"Looks like everyone was just praising him and never telling about the harassing they did against Severus." Lucius growled, face filled with rage and he looked about to hurt someone.

"Sometimes was my father's idealistical view about my grandfather annoying." Al growled while James felt ashamed of himself.

_**Snape's sallow skin had gone the color of sour milk.**_

_"__**And did the headmaster tell you the circumstances in which your father saved my life?" he whispered. "Or did he consider the details too unpleasant for precious Potter's delicate ears?"**_

"No he only loved to tell important information's in the last minute or to late." Al growled, his hand gripping Devona's, Scorpius was his best friend, but Devona was always his support. There was an important ground why his Patronus was the same as her Animagus form, this certainly helped those rumors about them being a couple in fourth year.

_**Harry bit his lip. He didn't know what had happened and didn't want to admit it — but Snape seemed to have guessed the truth.**_

"Of course he guessed." Lucius said still angry and only Severus's hand holding his stopped him from hexing something.

_"__**I would hate for you to run away with a false idea of your father, Potter," he said, a terrible grin twisting his face. "Have you been imagining some act of glorious heroism? Then let me correct you — your saintly father and his friends played a highly amusing joke on me that would have resulted in my death if your father hadn't got cold feet at the last moment. **_

"Uhm…looks like you thought that we all were in on that prank." James said while looking over to Sirius who was staring guiltily at Remus who was glaring at him. Only after that prank realized Sirius that Severus would have certainly died and then Remus would have been executed.

"Why wouldn't I? You loved hurting and humiliating me." Severus snapped bitterly.

"Pranks should be something about which everyone can laugh even the one who got pranked, but if the person gets hurt or humiliated then it is only bullying." Al growled, remembering bitterly some of his brother's _"pranks"_.

"You are lucky that Severus didn't get hurt badly or I would have gladly accepted Azkaban for murdering you." Lucius hissed.

"Oh yes, I'm surprised that you didn't get expelled for that Sirius." Allana said.

"Now that it is mentioned, you got away pretty easily in a way." Peter said carefully.

"Believe me if he would have been anywhere else then Griffindor, then he would have had ten minutes to pack." Al said darkly, Scorpius desperately signaled for Rudolphus to continue before something happens.

The other nodded.

_**There was nothing brave about what he did. He was saving his own skin as much as mine. Had their joke succeeded, he would have been expelled from Hogwarts."**_

_**Snape's uneven, yellowish teeth were bared.**_

_"__**Turn out your pockets, Potter!" he spat suddenly.**_

_**Harry didn't move. There was a pounding in his ears.**_

_"__**Turn out your pockets, or we go straight to the headmaster! Pull them out, Potter!"**_

_**Cold with dread, Harry slowly pulled out the bag of Zonko's tricks and the Marauder's Map.**_

_**Snap picked up the Zonko's bag.**_

_"__**Ron gave them to me," said Harry, praying he'd get a chance to tip Ron off before Snape saw him. "He brought them back from Hogsmeade last time —"**_

_"__**Indeed? And you've been carrying them around ever since? How very touching… and what is this?"**_

_**Snape had picked up the map. Harry tried with all his might to keep his face impassive.**_

_"__**Spare bit of parchment," he said with a shrug.**_

_**Snape turned it over, his eyes on Harry.**_

_"__**Surely you don't need such a very old piece of parchment?" he said. "Why don't I just — throw this away?"**_

_**His hand moved toward the fire.**_

_"__**No!" Harry said quickly.**_

"Now I will certainly know that it is something important." Severus said in a strained tone, beside him was Lucius still muttering darkly.

_"__**So!" said Snape, his long nostrils quivering. "Is this another treasured gift from Mr. Weasley? Or is it — something else? A letter, perhaps, written in invisible ink? Or — instructions to get into Hogsmeade without passing the Dementors?"**_

_**Harry blinked. Snape's eyes gleamed.**_

_"__**Let me see, let me see…" he muttered, taking out his wand and smoothing the map out on his desk. "Reveal your secret!" he said, touching the wand to the parchment.**_

_**Nothing happened. Harry clenched his hands to stop them from shaking.**_

_**"Show yourself!" Snape said, tapping the map sharply.**_

_**It stayed blank. Harry was taking deep, calming breaths.**_

_"__**Professor Severus Snape, master of this school, commands you to yield the information you conceal!" Snape said, hitting the map with his wand.**_

"NNOOOO!" yelled the four Marauders in horror before ducking behind the couch earning themselves confused gazes.

"Smart move." Rudolphus said before reading again.

_**As though an invisible hand were writing upon it, words appeared on the smooth surface of the map.**_

_"__**Mooney presents his compliments to Professor Snape, and begs him to keep his abnormally large nose out of other people's business."**_

Remus groaned in despair when he heard the growls.

_**Snape froze. Harry stared, dumbstruck, at the message. But the map didn't stop there. More writing was appearing beneath the first.**_

_"__**Mr. Prongs agrees with Mr. Mooney and would like to add that Professor Snape is an ugly git."**_

James flinched when he heard Lucius's angry snarl.

"JAMES POTTER/GRANSFATHER!" Allana, Lily and Al yelled in anger while Devona barred her teeth.

_**It would have been very funny if the situation hadn't been so serious. And there was more…**_

_"__**Mr. Padfoot would like to register his astonishment that an idiot like that ever became a professor."**_

"SIRIUS! GET OUT OF THERE AND LET ME HEX YOU TO THE FUTURE!" Narcissa snarled in pure anger, hands shaking.

_**Harry closed his eyes in horror.**_

The Mauraders did the same.

_**When he'd opened them, the map had had its last word.**_

_"__**Mr. Wormtail bids Professor Snape good day, and advises him to wash his hair, the slimeball."**_

Peter let out a panicked squeak while shaking in terror.

_**Harry waited for the blow to fall.**_

The four behind the couch did the same, it had become to deathly quiet in the room, but then suddenly many stinging hexes crashed at them making them yelp in pain for the upcoming half an hour. Then they needed to wait twenty more minutes for Lucius and Al to return who went away to calm down while both Devona and her father tried to meditate in order to calm down. Allana and Druella also gave James and Sirius a harsh lecture while Andromeda and Bella rounded on Remus, Peter had fainted from terror.

After Al and Lucius returned panting they could continue reading but the mode by most was still tense.

_"__**So…" said Snape softly. "We'll see about this…"**_

_**He strode across to his fire, seized a fistful of glittering powder from a jar on the fireplace, and threw it into the flames.**_

_"__**Lupin!" Snape called into the fire. "I want a word!"**_

Remus shivered and started praying that Severus hopefully doesn't know his nickname.

_**Utterly bewildered, Harry stared at the fire. A large shape had appeared in it, revolving very fast. Seconds later, Professor Lupin was clambering out of the fireplace, brushing ash off his shabby robes.**_

_"__**You called, Severus?" said Lupin mildly.**_

_"__**I certainly did," said Snape, his face contorted with fury as he strode back to his desk. "I have just asked Potter to empty his pockets. He was carrying this."**_

_**Snape pointed at the parchment, on which the words of Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs were still shining. An odd, closed expression appeared on Lupin's face.**_

Remus continued praying.

_**"Well?" said Snape.**_

_**Lupin continued to stare at the map. Harry had the impression that Lupin was doing some very quick thinking.**_

_"__**Well?" said Snape again. "This parchment is plainly full of Dark Magic. This is supposed to be your area of expertise, Lupin. Where do you imagine Potter got such a thing?"**_

_**Lupin looked up and, by the merest half-glance in Harry's direction, warned him not to interrupt.**_

_"__**Full of Dark Magic?" he repeated mildly. "Do you really think so, Severus? It looks to me as though it is merely a piece of parchment that insults anybody who reads it. Childish, but surely not dangerous? I imagine Harry got it from a joke shop —"**_

Some growling and angry mutterings could be heard while a certain prankster foursome tried to sin kin to the ground.

_**"Indeed?" said Snape. His jaw had gone rigid with anger. "You think a joke shop could supply him with such a thing? You don't think it more likely that he got it directly from the manufacturers?"**_

"Uh oh…" the pranksters whispered while Remus paled.

_**Harry didn't understand what Snape was talking about. Nor, apparently, did Lupin.**_

_"__**You mean, by Mr. Wormtail or one of these people?" he said. "Harry, do you know any of these men?"**_

_"__**No," said Harry quickly.**_

_"__**You see, Severus?" said Lupin, turning back to Snape. "It looks like a Zonko product to me —"**_

_**Right on cue, Ron came bursting into the office. He was completely out of breath, and stopped just short of Snape's desk, clutching the stitch in his chest and trying to speak.**_

_"__**I — gave — Harry — that — stuff," he choked. "Bought — it… in Zonko's… ages — ago…"**_

_"__**Well!" said Lupin, clapping his hands together and looking around cheerfully. "That seems to clear that up! Severus, I'll take this back, shall I?" He folded the map and tucked it inside his robes. "Harry, Ron, come with me, I need a word about my vampire essay — excuse us, Severus —"**_

_**Harry didn't dare look at Snape as they left his office. He. Ron, and Lupin walked all the way back into the entrance hall before speaking. Then Harry turned to Lupin.**_

_"__**Professor, I —"**_

_"__**I don't want to hear explanations," said Lupin shortly. **_

"At least your responsible side come out finally." Lily growled at Remus, she couldn't believe it what they ream not to long ago. These four idiots were the main ground why her once best friend hated her son, oh yes he protected his life, but hate was hate.

_**He glanced around the empty entrance hall and lowered his voice. "I happen to know that this map was confiscated by Mr. Filch many years ago. Yes, I know it's a map," he said as Harry and Ron looked amazed. "I don't want to know how it fell into your possession. I am, however, astounded that you didn't hand it in. Particularly after what happened the last time a student left information about the castle lying around. And I can't let you have it back, Harry."**_

"Finally" most of the woman muttered.

_**Harry had expected that, and was too keen for explanations to protest.**_

_"__**Why did Snape think I'd got it from the manufacturers?"**_

_"__**Because…" Lupin hesitated, "because these mapmakers would have wanted to lure you out of school. They'd think it extremely entertaining."**_

"Irresponsible idiots." Lily growled flashing a glare at said idiots.

_"__**Do you know them?" said Harry, impressed.**_

_"__**We've met," he said shortly. He was looking at Harry more seriously than ever before.**_

_"__**Don't expect me to cover up for you again, Harry. I cannot make you take Sirius Black seriously. But I would have thought that what you have heard when the Dementors draw near you would have had more of an effect on you. Your parents gave their lives to keep you alive, Harry. A poor way to repay them — gambling their sacrifice for a bag of magic tricks."**_

James flinched at his friends future's harsh words, but he needed to agree.

_**He walked away, leaving Harry feeling worse by far than he had at any point in Snape's office. Slowly, he and Ron mounted the marble staircase. As Harry passed the one-eyed witch, he remembered the Invisibility Cloak — it was still down there, but he didn't dare go and get it.**_

_"__**It's my fault," said Ron abruptly. "I persuaded you to go. Lupin's right, it was stupid, we shouldn't've done it —"**_

"This is already the second time you didn't think." Molly said disapprovingly.

"I feel surprised each time that he can think." Al spat in his mind to his friends, he was feeling still angry mostly that he knew that his second namesake didn't deserve any of those words.

_**He broke off; they reached the corridor where the security trolls were pacing, and Hermione was walking toward them. One look at her face convinced Harry that she had heard what had happened. His heart plummeted — had she told Professor McGonagall?**_

_"__**Come to have a good gloat?" said Ron savagely as she stopped in front of them. "Or have you just been to tell on us?"**_

_"__**No," said Hermione. She was holding a letter in her hands and her lip was trembling. "I just thought you ought to know… Hagrid lost his case. Buckbeak is going to be executed."**_

"Oh no…"

"Poor Hagrid…"

"Well then, I'm of home everyone." Bella said suddenly standing up "I will try getting granduncle Ron here for you." She said, hair still spiked and flaming red with black stripes in it.

"Good, take care." Bellatrix said as she hugged the girl as a goodbye.

_To be continued…_


	16. Game or war , The Quidditch Final

A/N: So the challenge story is finished and I can get this done…

XVI. Game or war ,_** The Quidditch Final**_

* * *

After Bella finally managed to get out of her family's embrace, it was hard because she never had the chance to meet most of them and grew fast fond of them, and went back to the future, but promised to get back by one of the later books. Al had called Nepthys forth again and let her open a portal for his young cousin before joining the others inside.

"So then, who will continue?" Al asked smiling softly as he saw that most Blacks, Tonks pair and Remus looked wistfully at the door on which Bella had left.

"Yes we should." Lily said finally.

"I agree with Evans there thought I want to set one thing clear." Bellatrix said in a determined tone.

"And what is it Bellatrix?" Cygnus asked his daughter.

"When that girls is born I will be her main babysitter." she stated at which everyone stared blinking at her.

"Well…I think that can be settled…" Andromeda told her sister carefully.

"Granduncle Rudolphus, can you give me the book?" Scorpius asked the man on the couch who nodded in agreement. "We need to continue, the next chapter is _**The Quidditch Final**_" he read at which both James and Alphonse cheered.

_"__**He sent me this," Hermione said, holding out the letter.**_

_**Harry took it. The parchment was damp, and enormous teardrops had smudged the ink so badly in places that it was very difficult to read.**_

_**Dear Hermione,**_

_**We lost. I'm allowed to bring him back to Hogwarts. Execution date to be fixed. Beaky has enjoyed London.**_

_**I won't forget all the help you gave us.**_

_**Hagrid**_

Many people let they hands drop at this while Scorpius sent his friends a look to protect his grandfather if needed. Till now managed everyone to only throw insults and not hex anyone, but soon will probably Peter, Bellatrix, Rudolphus and Severus be in great danger, Reg would probably get out better when he is finally mentioned.

_"__**They can't do this," said Harry. "They can't. Buckbeak isn't dangerous."**_

_"__**Malfoy's dad's frightened the Committee into it," **_

"I'm sorry…" Lucius mumbled with his head down.

_**said Hermione, wiping her eyes. "You know what he's like. They're a bunch of doddery old fools, and they were scared. There'll be an appeal, though, there always is. Only I can't see any hope… Nothing will have changed."**_

_"__**Yeah, it will," said Ron fiercely. "You won't have to do all the work alone this time, Hermione. I'll help."**_

"You know that she could have used that help sooner." Remus said.

"At least they seem to have made up." James said in an attempt to lighten the mode.

_"__**Oh, Ron!"**_

_**Hermione flung her arms around Ron's neck and broke down completely. **_

"I think this was actually the first time that my aunt has hugged my uncle, before that was it always my father." Al said while the others nodded.

_**Ron, looking quite terrified,**_

"Told you."

"Ron, please if a girl hugs you then you must enjoy it, not be near a heart attack." Sirius said groaning while the others shook they heads.

_**patted her very awkwardly on the top of the head.**_

"I give up, how did that bloke ever manage to get a girl." Sirius said while throwing his arms in the air.

"Sirius, they are only twelve." Molly stated.

"You know, I'm with Sirius there." Al whispered to his friends, but Remus heard it still which made hi raise an eyebrow.

_**Finally, Hermione drew away.**_

_"__**Ron, I'm really, really sorry about Scabbers…" she sobbed.**_

_"__**Oh — well — he was old," said Ron, looking thoroughly relieved that she had let go of him. **_

"Just a question, are you really sure that he doesn't like blokes better?" come a cheerful question from the cameraman.

"EVAN ROSIER!" yelled everyone except Regulus and Dora.

_"__**And he was a bit useless. You never know, Mum and Dad might get me an owl now."**_

_**The safety measures imposed on the students since Black's second break-in made it impossible for Harry, Ron, and Hermione to go and visit Hagrid in the evenings. Their only chance of talking to him was during Care of Magical Creatures lessons.**_

_**He seemed numb with shock at the verdict.**_

_"__**S'all my fault. Got all tongue-tied. They was all sittin' there in black robes an' I kep' droppin' me notes and forgettin' all them dates yeh looked up fer me, Hermione. An' then Lucius Malfoy stood up an' said his bit, and the Committee jus' did exac'ly what he told 'em…"**_

Lucius dropped his head again in shame at his future's actions, not even hearing his father's and Mr. Potter's yelps when the stinging hex hit them. Severus carefully pulled his friend closer to him at which Lucius felt grateful, at least he got told that he will manage to change, but feared to know what finally freed him from his father's and grandfather's influence. He truly feared that when the time reveals the secret that it will have something to do with Sev.

Seeing his father's discomfort Scorpius decided to continue.

_"__**There's still the appeal!" said Ron fiercely. "Don't give up yet, we're working on it!"**_

_**They were walking back up to the castle with the rest of the class. Ahead they could see Malfoy, who was walking with Crabbe and Goyle, and kept looking back, laughing derisively.**_

_"__**S'no good, Ron," said Hagrid sadly as they reached the castle steps. "That Committee's in Lucius Malfoy's pocket. I'm jus' gonna make sure the rest o' Beaky's time is the happiest he's ever had. I owe him that…"**_

_**Hagrid turned around and hurried back toward his cabin, his face buried in his handkerchief.**_

_"__**Look at him blubber!"**_

_**Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle had been standing just inside the castle doors, listening.**_

_"__**Have you ever seen anything quite as pathetic?" said Malfoy. "And he's supposed to be our teacher!"**_

Narcissa started growling under her breath, what in Merlin's name was she doing in that time. She had always loved animals and always knew to inherit that love also to her son, but Draco showed not even the slightest love for animals. Looking up she was staring intensively at her grandson.

"Scorpius." she spoke in an even tone.

"Yes grandmother?" the blonde asked while looking up from the book.

"Do you like animals?" she asked, sure she saw his familiar, but she still wanted confirmation.

"Huh…" Scorpius was slightly confused at his future grandmother's question, but answered none then less "Yes I love animals and if I have time I'm helping my in-laws who are just like my wife and her oldest brother Magizoologist." he answered at which Narcissa smiled.

"That is good to hear, please continue." Scorpius nodded, but when he looked down again his eyes widened.

"Ugh…Al, Devs please stop me if I should by accident repeat the _"Ferret fiasco incident"_ and that ended with him angry at me for two whole weeks, grandfather thought it highly amusing." Scorpius said.

"Uh…what fiasco?" Alice asked curiously.

"You will find it out in the next book, Scorp continue I think I know what will come." Al said while smiling at his friend apolitically.

_**Harry and Ron both made furious moves toward Malfoy, but Hermione got there first — SMACK!**_

A death silence fell over the room as everyone stared wide eyed at the book. Sirius was even gapping together with James.

"S…she hit him." Andromeda finally brought out.

"This was actually one of the few times when aunt Mione was truly angry." Al said.

"And this is the ground why my father warned me to not provocate in any way if it is possible." Scorpius said while shaking his head.

"I think that was a good advice." Lucius said.

"Ugh…hit by a girl." Sirius said, but soon found himself cowering from the deathly glares of all females in the room.

"Padfoot, you should learn when it is vise to close your mouth." Remus said while looking at his friend.

_**She had slapped Malfoy across the face with all the strength she could muster. Malfoy staggered.**_

"A pretty hard right hit." Scorpius said.

"Wow, intelligent and strong…uh…dangerous combination."

"And just what did you mean by that Cygnus Black?" Druella asked her husband dangerously while her daughters were only glaring.

"Uh huh…nothing love." Cygnus said while grinning sheepishly.

"You know, it is frightening how much power women actually posses over men." Sirius whispered to Peter who nodded hi head furiously.

_**Harry, Ron, Crabbe, and Goyle stood flabbergasted**_

"You weren't the only ones." answered most occupants of the room.

_**as Hermione raised her hand again.**_

_"__**Don't you dare call Hagrid pathetic, you foul — you evil —"**_

_"__**Hermione!" said Ron weakly, and he tried to grab her hand as she swung it back.**_

At this most of the past guys didn1t know how to react, Ron was either pretty brave or pretty stupid to try holding back a furious witch.

_"__**Get off, Ron!"**_

_**Hermione pulled out her wand. Malfoy stepped backward. Crabbe and Goyle looked at him for instructions, thoroughly bewildered.**_

_"__**C'mon." Malfoy muttered, and in a moment, all three of them had disappeared into the passageway to the dungeons.**_

"To tackle his godfather again." Rosier chimed in while Severus scowled.

_"__**Hermione!" Ron said again, sounding both stunned and impressed.**_

_**"Harry, you'd better beat him in the Quidditch final!" Hermione said shrilly. "You just better had, because I can't stand it if Slytherin wins!"**_

"This is my aunt's way to say, I will hex you in to oblivion if you lose." Al said.

"Aha…Harry please win." James pleaded to his son.

_"__**We're due in Charms," said Ron, still goggling at Hermione. "We'd better go."**_

_**They hurried up the marble staircase toward Professor Flitwick's classroom.**_

_"__**You're late, boys!" said Professor Flitwick reprovingly as Harry opened the classroom door. "Come along, quickly, wands out, we're experimenting with Cheering Charms today, we've already divided into pairs —"**_

"Now that is what I call coincidence." Remus and Ted said at the same time which got a few sniggers from everyone.

_**Harry and Ron hurried to a desk at the back and opened their bags. Ron looked behind him.**_

_"__**Where's Hermione gone?"**_

_**Harry looked around too. Hermione hadn't entered the classroom, yet Harry knew she had been right next to him when he had opened the door.**_

_"__**That's weird," said Harry, staring at Ron. "Maybe — maybe she went to the bathroom or something?"**_

_**But Hermione didn't turn up all lesson.**_

"Now that is strange." Sirius said with a raised eyebrow while others, mostly a part of the adults were even more assured in they suspicion as to how that girl manages all those classes.

_"__**She could've done with a Cheering Charm on her too," said Ron as the class left for lunch, all grinning broadly — the Cheering Charms had left them with a feeling of great contentment.**_

"Hence the name." James said.

"Yes, and when I find the one who put a contentious one on that blue haired dolt they will suffer." Aractus growled while Rosier was filming over his shoulder.

"But Ari, I don't have a contentious Cheering Charm on me." the bluenet cripped.

"Could have fooled me." he grumbled.

_**Hermione wasn't at lunch either. By the time they had finished their apple pie, the after-effects of the Cheering Charms were wearing off, and Harry and Ron had started to get slightly worried.**_

_"__**You don't think Malfoy did something to her?" Ron said anxiously as they hurried upstairs toward Gryffindor Tower.**_

"As much of a git my father was in the past, he was no monster and he knew what would have happened to him if he attacked her." Scorpius said.

"And as a side information, those two are now colleagues and even managed to become friends." Al pointed out.

"That is nice to hear." Narcissa said smiling.

_**They passed the security trolls, gave the Fat Lady the password ("Flibbertigibbet"), and scrambled through the portrait hole into the common room.**_

_**Hermione was sitting at a table, fast asleep, her head resting on an open Arithmancy book. They went to sit down on either side of her. Harry prodded her awake.**_

_"__**Wh — what?" said Hermione, waking with a start and staring wildly around. "Is it time to go? W — which lesson have we got now?"**_

_"__**Divination, but it's not for another twenty minutes," said Harry. "Hermione, why didn't you come to Charms?"**_

_"__**What? Oh no!" Hermione squeaked. "I forgot to go to Charms!"**_

A few people chuckled at this.

_**"But how could you forget?" said Harry. "You were with us till we were right outside the classroom!"**_

_"__**I don't believe it!" Hermione wailed. "Was Professor Flitwick angry? **_

"I don't think I've ever seen Flitwick really angry," Lily chuckled at that thought, but missed the glances the three professors gave each other or that both men placed they hands on Devona's for a few seconds till only Al's was resting there.

_**Oh, it was Malfoy, I was thinking about him and I lost track of things!"**_

_"__**You know what, Hermione?" said Ron, looking down at the enormous Arithmancy book Hermione had been using as a pillow. "I reckon you're cracking up. You're trying to do too much."**_

"Bad move." said all married males in the room while tey wives gave them pointed looks.

_"__**No, I'm not!" said Hermione, brushing her hair out of her eyes and staring hopelessly around for her bag. "I just made a mistake, that's all! I'd better go and see Professor Flitwick and say sorry… I'll see you in Divination!"**_

_**Hermione joined them at the foot of the ladder to Professor Trelawney's classroom twenty minutes later, looking extremely harassed.**_

_"__**I can't believe I missed Cheering Charms! And I bet they come up in our exams; Professor Flitwick hinted they might!"**_

_**Together they climbed the ladder into the dim, stifling tower room. Glowing on every little table was a crystal ball full of pearly white mist. Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat down together at the same rickety table.**_

_"__**I thought we weren't starting crystal balls until next term," Ron muttered, casting a wary eye around for Professor Trelawney, in case she was lurking nearby.**_

_"__**Don't complain, this means we've finished palmistry," Harry muttered back. "I was getting sick of her flinching every time she looked at my hands."**_

More snickers and louder laughs could be heard from everyone.

"Poor Harry, he is an easy target." Sirius said while laughing.

_**"Good day to you!" said the familiar, misty voice, and Professor Trelawney made her usual dramatic entrance out of the shadows. **_

"Sev is probably better in that." Lucius said smiling.

"As is Dev." replied both Al and Scorpius.

"Shut it." snapped meanwhile the aforementioned blackheads.

_**Parvati and Lavender quivered with excitement, their faces lit by the milky glow of their crystal ball.**_

_"__**I have decided to introduce the crystal ball a little earlier than I had planned," said Professor Trelawney, sitting with her back to the fire and gazing around. "The fates have informed me that your examination in June will concern the Orb, and I am anxious to give you sufficient practice."**_

_**Hermione snorted.**_

_"__**Well, honestly… 'the fates have informed her'. Who sets the exam? She does! What an amazing prediction!" she said, not troubling to keep her voice low. Harry and Ron choked back laughs.**_

"What's with her?" Alice asked stunned.

"Stressed and she finds the class rubbish." was the simple answer.

"Never thought that she would dislike a class." Frank said in a stunned tone.

"Well then now you have it." Lily said.

_**It was hard to tell whether Professor Trelawney had heard them as her face was hidden in shadow. She continued, however, as though she had not.**_

_"__**Crystal gazing is a particularly refined art," she said dreamily. "I do not expect any of you to See when first you peer into the Orb's infinite depths. We shall start by practicing relaxing the conscious mind and external eyes —" Ron began to snigger uncontrollably and had to stuff his fist in his mouth to stifle the noise — "so as to clear the Inner Eye and the superconscious. Perhaps, if we are lucky, some of you will see before the end of the class."**_

_**And so they began. Harry, at least, felt extremely foolish, staring blankly at the crystal ball, trying to keep his mind empty when thoughts such as "this is stupid" kept drifting across it.**_

"And this is why dad never will manage to learn Oclumency, he can't keep his mind empty." Al stated, he got it as a shared ability from Scorpius through they bond, but started learning it through his friend's grandfather.

_**It didn't help that Ron kept breaking into silent giggles and Hermione kept tutting.**_

_"__**Seen anything yet?" Harry asked them after a quarter of an hour's quiet crystal gazing.**_

_"__**Yeah, there's a burn on this table," said Ron, pointing. "Someone's spilled their candle."**_

"I don't think that Harry meant that." Regulus chimed in giggling.

_"__**This is such a waste of time," Hermione hissed. "I could be practicing something useful. I could be catching up on Cheering Charms —"**_

_**Professor Trelawney rustled past.**_

_"__**Would anyone like me to help them interpret the shadowy portents within their Orb?" she murmured over the clinking of her bangles.**_

_"__**I don't need help," Ron whispered. "It's obvious what this means. There's going to be loads of fog tonight."**_

Everyone laughed at Ron's statement.

"He may act sometimes like an idiot, but I like that guy." Sirius stated in amusement.

_**Both Harry and Hermione burst out laughing.**_

_"__**Now, really!" said Professor Trelawney as everyone's heads turned in their direction. Parvati and Lavender were looking scandalized. "You are disturbing the clairvoyant vibrations!" She approached their table and peered into their crystal ball. Harry felt his heart sinking. He was sure he knew what was coming —**_

"You are not the only one Prongslet." Sirius said.

_"__**There is something here!" Professor Trelawney whispered, lowering her face to the ball, so that it was reflected twice in her huge glasses. "Something moving… but what is it?"**_

_**Harry was prepared to bet everything he owned, including his Firebolt, that it wasn't good news, whatever it was. And sure enough —**_

_"__**My dear," Professor Trelawney breathed, gazing up at Harry. "It is here, plainer than ever before… my dear, stalking toward you, growing ever closer… the Gr —"**_

_"__**Oh, for goodness' sake!" said Hermione loudly. "Not that ridiculous Grim again!"**_

"Well, in a way she could be referring to Sirius's animagus form." Lily said to the others who nodded.

_**Professor Trelawney raised her enormous eyes to Hermione's face. Parvati whispered something to Lavender, and they both glared at Hermione too. Professor Trelawney stood up, surveying Hermione with unmistakable anger.**_

_"__**I am sorry to say that from the moment you have arrived in this class my dear, it has been apparent that you do not have what the noble art of Divination requires. Indeed, I don't remember ever meeting a student whose mind was so hopelessly mundane."**_

_**There was a moment's silence. Then —**_

_**"Fine!" said Hermione suddenly, getting up and cramming Unfogging the Future back into her bag. "Fine!" she repeated, swinging the bag over her shoulder and almost knocking Ron off his chair. "I give up! I'm leaving!"**_

"Wow, she was really stressed." James said in shock.

"No joke there mate." Sirius answered.

_**And to the whole class's amazement, Hermione strode over to the trapdoor, kicked it open, and climbed down the ladder out of sight.**_

_**It took a few minutes for the class to settle down again. Professor Trelawney seemed to have forgotten all about the Grim. She turned abruptly from Harry and Ron's table, breathing rather heavily as she tugged her gauzy shawl more closely to her.**_

"She doesn't take such things well." Devona explained.

_**"Ooooo!" said Lavender suddenly, making everyone start. "Ooooo, Professor Trelawney, I've just remembered! You saw her leaving, didn't you? Didn't you, Professor? 'Around Easter, one of our number will leave us forever!' You said it ages ago, Professor!"**_

"Um... she did say that," Remus said in shock.

"There are times when she manages to make true foresights, but most of the time she doesn't remember making them when the trance lifts." Al explained remembering that this year she also made a true prophecy.

"Uh…really?"

"Really, you will soon read about one here and another more meaningfull in te fifth book."

_**Professor Trelawney gave her a dewy smile.**_

_"__**Yes, my dear, I did indeed know that Miss Granger would be leaving us. One hopes, however, that one might have mistaken the Signs… The Inner Eye can be a burden, you know…"**_

_**Lavender and Parvati looked deeply impressed, and moved over so that Professor Trelawney could join their table instead.**_

_"__**Some day Hermione's having, eh?" Ron muttered to Harry, looking awed.**_

_"__**Yeah…"**_

_**Harry glanced into the crystal ball but saw nothing but swirling white mist. Had Professor Trelawney really seen the Grim again? **_

_**Would he? The last thing he needed was another near-fatal accident, with the Quidditch final drawing ever nearer.**_

"Padfoot only dare visiting AFTER they won the finals." James said to his best friend while pointing a finger at him.

"Erm…I will try…"

_**The Easter holidays were not exactly relaxing. The third years had never had so much homework. Neville Longbottom seemed close to a nervous collapse, and he wasn't the only one.**_

"My poor baby."

_"__**Call this a holiday!" Seamus Finnigan roared at the common room one afternoon. "The exams are ages away, what're they playing at?"**_

"Wanting to pass them." Severus stated and most of the others nodded.

_**But nobody had as much to do as Hermione. Even without Divination, she was taking more subjects than anybody else. She was usually last to leave the common room at night, first to arrive at the library the next morning; she had shadows like Lupin's under her eyes, and seemed constantly close to tears.**_

"Poor girl."

"Now you see why I wanted to force feed Rose with Calming Draught." Devona said while gesturing in the book's direction.

_**Ron had taken over responsibility for Buckbeak's appeal. **_

"That is great from you son." Arthur said smiling.

_**When he wasn't doing his own work, he was poring over enormously thick volumes with names like The Handbook of Hippogriff Psychology and Fowl or Foul? A Study of Hippogriff Brutality. He was so absorbed, he even forgot to be horrible to Crookshanks.**_

"Good." Narcissa said in a hard tone.

_**Harry, meanwhile, had to fit in his homework around Quidditch practice every day, not to mention endless discussions of tactics with Wood. The Gryffindor-Slytherin match would take place on the first Saturday after the Easter holidays. Slytherin was leading the tournament by exactly two hundred points.**_

"NOOOO!" the male Griffindor's yelled while the Slytherin smirked.

"Looks like Draco got it finally." Lucius said smiling proudly.

_**This meant (as Wood constantly reminded his team) that they needed to win the match by more than that amount to win the Cup. It also meant that the burden of winning fell largely on Harry, because capturing the Snitch was worth one hundred and fifty points.**_

_"__**So you must catch it only if we're more than fifty points up," Wood told Harry constantly. "Only if we're more than fifty points up, Harry, or we win the match but lose the Cup. You've got that, Haven't you? You must catch the Snitch only if we're —"**_

"Would someone please interrupt him before he goes in to hysteria." Aractus sneered.

"Don't worry Harry does." Scorpius said before continuing to read.

_"__**I KNOW, OLIVER!" Harry yelled.**_

_**The whole of Gryffindor House was obsessed with the coming match. Gryffindor hadn't won the Quidditch Cup since the legendary Charlie Weasley (Ron's second oldest brother) had been Seeker. **_

Wimpers from the adult Griffindors.

_**But Harry doubted whether any of them, even Wood, wanted to win as much as he did. The enmity between Harry and Malfoy was at its highest point ever. Malfoy was still smarting about the mud-throwing incident in Hogsmeade and was even more furious that Harry had somehow wormed his way out of punishment. Harry hadn't forgotten Malfoy's attempt to sabotage him in the match against Ravenclaw, but it was the matter of Buckbeak that made him most determined to beat Malfoy in front of the entire school.**_

"Reminds me on all the time your father and Mr. Malfoy went against each other's throats just like your grandfathers." Allana told her son.

"And then there come we and become friends similarly to our kids." Al said smiling, at least one chain of conflicts might be broken forever.

"Still shocking to behold." Cygnus said.

_**Never, in anyone's memory, had a match approached in such a highly charged atmosphere. By the time the holidays were over, tension between the two teams and their Houses was at the breaking point.**_

"Uh oh…and the Slytherin don't have the Ravenclwas to hold them back and Hufflepuff is cheering for Griffindor to win…not good."

_**A number of small scuffles broke out in the corridors, culminating in a nasty incident in which a Gryffindor fourth year and a Slytherin sixth year ended up in the hospital wing with leeks sprouting out of their ears.**_

"The staff was probably not pleased."

"I'm starting to see how this rivalry starts to fully go out of hand." Druella said with her hands on her hips before smiling at he future trio. "I'm feeling glad that you managed to set this in a better light it would have probably ended one day with both houses murdering the other."

_**Harry was having a particularly bad time of it. He couldn't walk to class without Slytherins sticking out their legs and trying to trip him up; Crabbe and Goyle kept popping up wherever he went, and slouching away looking disappointed when they saw him surrounded by people. Wood had given instructions that Harry should be accompanied everywhere he went, in case the Slytherins tried to put him out of action. The whole of Gryffindor House took up the challenge enthusiastically, **_

"Oookey…our school had never such happenings by the school teams football finals." Mr. Evans said stunned, he now really needs to see Quidditch in life.

_**so that it was impossible for Harry to get to classes on time because he was surrounded by a vast, chattering crowd. Harry was more concerned for his Firebolt's safety than his own.**_

"HARRY JAMES POTTER!" all mothers/future mothers in the room shrieked "YOUR DAFETY IS MORE IMPORTANT THEN A STUPID BROOM!"

"HE GOT THAT FROM YOU!" yelled both Lily and Allana at a certain father, son duo.

_**When he wasn't flying it, he locked it securely in his trunk and frequently dashed back up to Gryffindor Tower at break times to check that it was still there.**_

_**All usual pursuits were abandoned in the Gryffindor common room the night before the match. Even Hermione had put down her books.**_

_"__**I can't work, I can't concentrate," she said nervously.**_

"Wow se also wants you to win."

_**There was a great deal of noise. Fred and George Weasley were dealing with the pressure by being louder and more exuberant than ever.**_

Molly groaned at this.

_**Oliver Wood was crouched over a model of a Quidditch field in the corner, prodding little figures across it with his wand and muttering to himself**_

Everyone stared blinking at the book.

"What is that guy doing, planning a war strategy?" Severus asked shocked, but then was tapped on the shoulder. "Yes Lucius?"

"Sev, what had this t do with a war strategy?" asked the blonde confused, the other purebloods were also looking at him strangely.

"Back then used Muggle generals to have little makets of the place they fought and used it to make a fighting strategy while they played the war out on them." he explained to the confused purebloods while the Evans pair tried not to laugh, Lily only giggled together with Remus who himself was a half-blood while Ted really fought to not anger his wife. Even Petunia had a little smile on her face, she started being less scared from they company, then even if these people could achieve fabulous feats with a wand wave, but simple things which every kid can do could still confuse them.

"Ah, that isn't even a bad idea." Cygnus said finally feeling it strange that he had just complimented on a Muggle thing.

"Wow, these books have truly power." James whispered to Sirius.

"You tell me? I never knew that I would feel so close to uncle Cygnus, aunt Druella and even Bellatrix as now." Sirius replied honestly, but he didn't mention to James hat last evening his uncle come up to him and offered him to move in with them.

_**Angelina, Alicia, and Katie were laughing at Fred's and George's jokes. Harry was sitting with Ron and Hermione, removed from the center of things, trying not to think about the next day, because every time he did, he had the horrible sensation that something very large was fighting to get out of his stomach.**_

_"__**You're going to be fine," Hermione told him, though she looked positively terrified.**_

"At least she tries to reassure him." Lily said with a weak smile.

"And this is the good part if the one doing the reassuring is good at having a blank face." Scorpius said ignoring Devona's glare.

_"__**You've got a Firebolt!" said Ron.**_

_**"Yeah…" said Harry, his stomach writhing.**_

_**It came as a relief when Wood suddenly stood up and yelled, "Team! Bed!"**_

_**Harry slept badly. First he dreamed that he had overslept, and that Wood was yelling, "Where were you? We had to use Neville instead!" **_

"HEY!" both Frank and Alice yelled offended before rounding on James "POTTER TELL YOUR SON TO LAY OF OFF OUR SON!" James only nodded while hiding behind Lily.

_**Then he dreamed that Malfoy and the rest of the Slytherin team arrived for the match riding dragons.**_

"Now that boy is overdoing it there, thought it would be a sight to behold." Rudolphus said as he imagined the scene.

"Well our family knows dragon language, but Dumbledore would surely not allow us to use them." Lucius said at which Sirius turned immediately to Narcissa.

"Cissa, when is the wedding?" he asked excitedly at which both Abraxas and Cygnus broke out coughing, Daria smiled while Druella shook her head, Lucius and Narcissa on the other hand were blushing madly.

"Black, shut up." Severus said as he hit Sirius over the head with a pillow before returning to Lucius's side.

_**He was flying at breakneck speed, trying to avoid a spurt of flames from Malfoy's steed's mouth, when he realized he had forgotten his Firebolt.**_

"Dad should have also kept a Dream Diary like I did." Al whispered while shaking his head.

_**He fell through the air and woke with a start.**_

_**It was a few seconds before Harry remembered that the match hadn't taken place yet, that he was safe in bed, and that the Slytherin team definitely wouldn't be allowed to play on dragons.**_

"A shame." most of the Slytherin replied sighing.

_**He was feeling very thirsty. Quietly as he could, he got out of his four-poster and went to pour himself some water from the silver jug beneath the window.**_

_**The grounds were still and quiet. No breath of wind disturbed the treetops in the Forbidden Forest; the Whomping Willow was motionless and innocent-looking. **_

At this the Mauraders exchanged fleeting glances with each other.

_**It looked as though the conditions for the match would be perfect.**_

_**Harry set down his goblet and was about to turn back to his bed when something caught his eye. An animal of some kind was prowling across the silvery lawn.**_

Remus tensed at this hoping that it wasn't a full moon even thought his condition will be better in the future, but he didn't wish for Harry to see him like that. Sirius felt his friend's tenseness and scooted closer to him for which Remus was grateful. Not many knew, but he always felt the closest to Sirius from his three friends, it might have something to do with the fact that his wolf liked Padfoot because they were both canines which already gave them a bond unlike by James's Prongs or Peter's Wormtail. He didn't know how he managed to survive alone for so long.

_**Harry dashed to his bedside table, snatched up his glasses, and put them on, then hurried back to the window. It couldn't be the Grim — not now — not right before the match —**_

_**He peered out at the grounds again and, after a minute's frantic searching, spotted it. It was skirting the edge of the forest now… It wasn't the Grim at all… it was a cat… Harry clutched the window ledge in relief as he recognized the bottlebrush tail. It was only Crookshanks…**_

Remus sighed in relief.

_**Or was it only Crookshanks? Harry squinted, pressing his nose flat against the glass. Crookshanks seemed to have come to a halt. Harry was sure he could see something else moving in the shadow of the trees too.**_

Everyone stared intensily at the book.

_**And just then, it emerged — a gigantic, shaggy black dog, moving stealthily across the lawn, Crookshanks trotting at its side. **_

At this nearly half of the room stared wide eyed back at the book and then to a gapping Sirius.

"You spend freely time with a cat?" they all asked shocked while Sirius only turned to the three professors for confirmation.

"From what I know wee the both of you pretty fond of each other." Al said smirking at which Sirius groaned while Narcissa giggled.

_**Harry stared. **_

"You weren't the only one son." James said, still amused by his friend's shocked expression as he tried to figure out why he made friends with a cat.

_**What did this mean? If Crookshanks could see the dog as well, how could it be an omen of Harry's death?**_

"As long as your godfather doesn't lead you to do something deathly stupid then till then he isn't a death omen, but he will see me as one if he does." Lily stated at which the three professors exchanged gins with each other.

_"__**Ron!" Harry hissed. "Ron! Wake up!"**_

_"__**Huh?"**_

_"__**I need you to tell me if you can see something!"**_

_"__**S'all dark, Harry," Ron muttered thickly. "What're you on about?"**_

_"__**Down here —"**_

_**Harry looked quickly back out of the window.**_

_**Crookshanks and the dog had vanished. Harry climbed onto the windowsill to look right down into the shadows of the castle, but they weren't there. Where had they gone?**_

_**A loud snore told him Ron had fallen asleep again.**_

"Reminds me on Sirius." James said teasingly, but Sirius was still in thoughts to react.

"Sirius, get over it in the future you will like cats." Bellatrix snapped, but you could hear the amusement in her voice which surprised man people who knew her.

"Something tells me that we would al have found use for these books in our childhood." Druella whispered to the other adults from which many nodded then even they could feel the changes happening to they children and themselves with each chapter they read.

_**Harry and the rest of the Gryffindor team entered the Great Hall the next day to enormous applause. Harry couldn't help grinning broadly as he saw that both the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables were applauding them too.**_

"And people are surprised that nowadays Slytherin tend to stuck together and don't trust others who aren't from they house." Daria said sadly the gap between the three Houses and Slytherin seemed to grow with each generation.

"True, but the Dark Lord had also still a surprising amount of Ravenclaws." Al explained what his aunt Hermione had told him.

"Ugh…we know that, that is a dangerous combination."

_**The Slytherin table hissed loudly as they passed. Harry noticed that Malfoy looked even paler than usual.**_

"Aractus…"

"Narcissa, you can quit giving me that look Marcus's isn't even born yet so I can hardly tell him to stop putting your _unborn_ son under pressure." Flint stated while a few people found the situation amusing.

"Fine." replied the blonde huffing.

_**Wood spent the whole of breakfast urging his team to eat, while touching nothing himself.**_

"Hypocrite."

_**Then he hurried them off to the field before anyone else had finished, so they could get an idea of the conditions. As they left the Great Hall, everyone applauded again.**_

_"__**Good luck, Harry!" called Cho. Harry felt himself blushing.**_

_"__**Okay — no wind to speak of — sun's a bit bright, that could impair your vision, watch out for it — ground's fairly hard, good, that'll give us a fast kickoff —"**_

"Wow, the last time Tiff was like this DID you really force feed her Calming Draught." Scorpius said remembering the scene when before the finals Devona come with Flint to wish Al and Scorpius luck and Devona decided that the Griffindor Captain needed to calm down.

"She was already starting to hyperventilate any second." she defended herself.

"True and you only gave her enough to calm her nerves." Al said also remembering the scene, he liked it when both flint and Fred held James back who yelled something about cheating and tings for which he wanted to punch his brother.

_**Wood paced the field, staring around with the team behind him. Finally, they saw the front doors of the castle open in the distance and the rest of the school spilling onto the lawn.**_

_"__**Locker rooms," said Wood tersely.**_

_**None of them spoke as they changed into their scarlet robes. Harry wondered if they were feeling like he was: as though he'd eaten something extremely wriggly for breakfast. In what seemed like no time at all, Wood was saying, "Okay, it's time, let's go —"**_

_**They walked out onto the field to a tidal wave of noise. Three quarters of the crowd was wearing scarlet rosettes, waving scarlet flags with the Gryffindor lion upon them, or brandishing banners with slogans like "GO GRYFFINDOR!" and "LIONS FOR THE CUP." Behind the Slytherin goal posts, however, two hundred people were wearing green; the silver serpent of Slytherin glittered on their flags, and Professor Snape sat in the very front row, wearing green like everyone else, and a very grim smile.**_

"Of course would the Head of House sit by they students and well what do you expect how he would look after all that chaos going on because of the finals." Scorpius stated.

"Wow, Snape not in black for once?" James asked stunned.

"He looks good in green." replied Lucius, Lily and Narcissa together, but Remus noticed that Devona keep silent, but had a faint smile on her lips. He found that suspicious.

_"__**And here are the Gryffindors!" yelled Lee Jordan, who was acting as commentator as usual. "Potter, Bell, Johnson, Spinnet, Weasley, Weasley, and Wood. Widely acknowledged as the best team Hogwarts has seen in a good few years —"**_

_**Lee's comments were drowned by a tide of 'boos' from the Slytherin end.**_

"According to my knowledge should the commentators also not pick favorites." Mr. Evnans said.

"True, but with Lee it won't happen."

_"__**And here come the Slytherin team, led by Captain Flint. He's made some changes in the lineup and seems to be going for size rather than skill —"**_

"Hey! Leave my son and his team alone." Aractus growled offended.

"I think these gave also to it that I never liked him or Jake to much, Joanna was in a way right." Al whispered to Devona who agreed.

_**More boos from the Slytherin crowd.**_

"And you wonder why?"

_**Harry, however, thought Lee had a point. Malfoy was easily the smallest person On the Slytherin team; the rest of them were enormous.**_

"Did it actually ever occur to you that they are there because they could play the best on the tryouts?" Lucius asked growling.

_"__**Captains, shake hands!" said Madam Hooch.**_

_**Flint and Wood approached each other and grasped each other's hand very tightly; it looked as though each was trying to break the other's fingers.**_

"And you three helped they kids tell those two that they are getting married?" Alice asked in an unbelieving tone.

"Yep." was the grinning trio's reply.

"Aha…" Alice decided she didn't need to know how they took it.

_"__**Mount your brooms!" said Madam Hooch. "Three… two… one…"**_

_**The sound of her whistle was lost in the roar from the crowd as fourteen brooms rose into the air. Harry felt his hair fly back off his forehead; his nerves left him in the thrill of the flight; he glanced around, saw Malfoy on his tail, and sped off in search of the Snitch.**_

_"__**And it's Gryffindor in possession, Alicia Spinner of Gryffindor with the Quaffle, heading straight for the Slytherin goal posts, looking good, Alicia! Argh, no — Quaffle intercepted by Warrington, Warrington of Slytherin tearing UP the field — WHAM! — nice Bludger work there by George Weasley, Warrington drops the Quaffle, it's caught by — Johnson, Gryffindor back in possession, come on, Angelina — nice swerve around Montague — duck, Angelina, that's a Bludger! – SHE SCORES! TEN-ZERO TO GRYFFINDOR!"**_

"Yes!" most of the lions cheered.

_**Angelina punched the air as she soared around the end of the field; the sea of scarlet below was screaming its delight**_

_"__**OUCH!"**_

_**Angelina was nearly thrown from her broom as Marcus Flint went smashing into her.**_

"Potter, Black I will kindly repeat myself, '.yet.! And also to set things right I don'T even have a girlfriend at this time."

_"__**Sorry!" said Flint as the crowd below booed. "Sorry, didn't see her!"**_

_**A moment later, Fred Weasley chucked his Beater's club at the back of Flint's head. Flint's nose smashed into the handle of his broom and began to bleed.**_

A few people flinched while Arthur cowered from both Molly's and Flint'S glares.

_"__**That will do!" shrieked Madam Hooch, zooming between then. "Penalty shot to Gryffindor for an unprovoked attack on their Chaser! Penalty shot to Slytherin for deliberate damage to their Chaser!"**_

"Yes, that will be fine thought it is shameful that if one of those two teams does something against the other they pay them back similarly anstead of continuing to play fair." Andromeda said while shaking her head.

"I'm completely with her." Lily agreed.

_"__**Come off it, Miss!" howled Fred, **_

"Frederik Weasley you know that what your brother did was a foul so you come off it." Molly snapped in annoyance.

_**but Madam Hooch blew her whistle and Alicia flew forward to take the penalty.**_

_"__**Come on, Alicia!" yelled Lee into the silence that had descended on the crowd. "YES! SHE'S BEATEN THE KEEPER! TWENTY-ZERO TO GRYFFINDOR!"**_

_**Harry turned the Firebolt sharply to watch Flint, still bleeding freely, fly forward to take the Slytherin penalty. Wood was hovering in front of the Gryffindor goal posts, his jaw clenched.**_

_"'__**Course, Wood's a superb Keeper!" Lee Jordan told the crowd as Flint waited for Madam Hooch's whistle. "Superb! Very difficult to pass — very difficult indeed — YES! I DON'T BELIEVE IT! HE'S SAVED IT!"**_

"Didn't he just praise his keeper abilities?" asked Bellatrix while rolling her eyes.

_**Relieved, Harry zoomed away, gazing around for the Snitch, but still making sure he caught every word of Lee's commentary. It was essential that he hold Malfoy off the Snitch until Gryffindor was more than fifty points up —**_

_"__**Gryffindor in possession, no, Slytherin in possession — no! Gryffindor back in possession and it's Katie Bell, Katie Bell for Gryffindor with the Quaffle, she's streaking up the field — THAT WAS DELIBERATE!"**_

_**Montague, a Slytherin Chaser, had swerved in front of Katie, and instead of seizing the Quaffle had grabbed her head. Katie cart-wheeled in the air, managed to stay on her broom, but dropped the Quaffle.**_

"I knew that all the pressure everyone put on both teams from the student body would end in this with the teams literally going for each others blood." Severus said while shaking his head.

_**Madam Hooch's whistle rang out again as she soared over to Montague and began shouting at him. A minute later, Katie had put another penalty past the Slytherin Seeker.**_

_"__**THIRTY-ZERO! TAKE THAT, YOU DIRTY, CHEATING —"**_

_"__**Jordan, if you can't commentate in an unbiased way —"**_

_"__**I'm telling it like it is, Professor!"**_

"And I see a detention coming in his way." Allana said.

_**Harry felt a huge jolt of excitement. He had seen the Snitch — it was shimmering at the foot of one of the Gryffindor goal posts — but he mustn't catch it yet — and if Malfoy saw it —**_

_**Faking a look of sudden concentration, Harry pulled his Firebolt around and sped off toward the Slytherin end — it worked. Malfoy went haring after him, clearly thinking Harry had seen the Snitch there…**_

"Draco!" both Lucius and Severus moaned wile James and Sirius sniggered.

_**WHOOSH.**_

_**One of the Bludgers came streaking past Harry's right ear, hit by the gigantic Slytherin Beater, Derrick. Then again…**_

_**WHOOSH.**_

_**The second Bludger grazed Harry's elbow. The other Beater, Bole, was closing in.**_

_**Harry had a fleeting glimpse of Bole and Derrick zooming toward him, clubs raised — He turned the Firebolt upward at the last second, and Bole and Derrick collided with a sickening crunch.**_

Everyone flinched at the mental image, thought that explained why the Bludger come so fast in mare seconds, the two Beaters passed it to each other from Harry's opposite sides.

_"__**Ha haaa!" yelled Lee Jordan as the Slytherin Beaters lurched away from each other, clutching their heads. "Too bad, boys! You'll need to get up earlier than that to beat a Firebolt! And it's Gryffindor in possession again, as Johnson takes the Quaffle — Flint alongside her — poke him in the eye, Angelina! **_

A few people started growling at that.

— _**it was a joke, Professor, it was a joke — oh no — Flint in possession, Flint flying toward the Gryffindor goal posts, come on now, Wood, save —!"**_

_**But Flint had scored;**_

Now was it the snakes who cheered.

_**there was an eruption of cheers from the Slytherin end, and Lee swore so badly that Professor McGonagall tried to tug the magical megaphone away from him.**_

"That boy is to biased he should be banned from being a commentator." Ted said sighing while most of the others nodded in agreement.

_"__**Sorry, Professor, sorry! Won't happen again! So, Gryffindor in the lead, thirty points to ten, and Gryffindor in possession —"**_

_**It was turning into the dirtiest game Harry had ever played in.**_

Everyone groaned at that, this was a game between students and not a war.

_**Enraged that Gryffindor had taken such an early lead, the Slytherins were rapidly resorting to any means to take the Quaffle. Bole hit Alicia with his club and tried to say he'd thought she was a Bludger. George Weasley elbowed Bole in the face in retaliation. Madam Hooch awarded both teams penalties, and Wood pulled off another spectacular save, making the score forty-ten to Gryffindor.**_

_**The Snitch had disappeared again. Malfoy was still keeping close to Harry as he soared over the match, looking around for it once Gryffindor was fifty points ahead —**_

_**Katie scored. **_

_**Fifty-ten. Fred and George Weasley were swooping around her, clubs raised, in case any of the Slytherins were thinking of revenge. Bole and Derrick took advantage of Fred's and George's absence to aim both Bludgers at Wood; they caught him in the stomach, one after the other, and he rolled over in the air, clutching his broom, completely winded.**_

_**Madam Hooch was beside herself —**_

_"__**YOU DO NOT ATTACK THE KEEPER UNLESS THE QUAFFLE IS WITHIN THE SCORING AREA!" she shrieked at Bole and Derrick. "Gryffindor penalty!"**_

"This is not a game between children anymore, but a bloody war." Allana shrieked in shock.

_**And Angelina scored. Sixty-ten. **_

_**Moments later, Fred Weasley pelted a Bludger at Warrington, knocking the Quaffle out of his hands; Alicia seized it and put it through the Slytherin goal — seventy-ten.**_

_**The Gryffindor crowd below was screaming itself hoarse — Gryffindor was sixty points in the lead, and if Harry caught the Snitch now, the Cup was theirs. Harry could almost feel hundreds of eyes following him as he soared around the field, high above the rest of the game, with Malfoy speeding along behind him.**_

_**And then he saw it. The Snitch was sparkling twenty feet above him.**_

_**Harry put on a huge burst of speed; the wind was roaring in his ears; he stretched out his hand, but suddenly, the Firebolt was slowing down —**_

_**Horrified, he looked around. Malfoy had thrown himself forward, grabbed hold of the Firebolt's tail, and was pulling it back.**_

"Draco, something tells me we will have a longer _chat_ with each other after I'm through with the team." Severus said in a calm tone which made everyone nervous.

_"__**You —"**_

_**Harry was angry enough to hit Malfoy, but couldn't reach — Malfoy was panting with the effort of holding onto the Firebolt, but his eyes were sparkling maliciously. He had achieved what he'd wanted to do — the Snitch had disappeared again.**_

_"__**Penalty! Penalty to Gryffindor! I've never seen such tactics." Madam Hooch screeched, shooting up to where Malfoy was sliding back onto his Nimbus Two Thousand and One.**_

_"__**YOU CHEATING SCUM!" Lee Jordan was howling into the megaphone, dancing out of Professor McGonagall's reach. "YOU FILTHY, CHEATING B —"**_

Both Narcissa and Lucius were now looking murderous as did Scorpius, but continued even thought his tone had become filled with anger.

_**Professor McGonagall didn't even bother to tell him off. She was actually shaking her finger in Malfoy's direction, her hat had fallen off, and she too was shouting furiously.**_

"That will be a double scolding and detention from me to the commentator." Severus said gain which immediately calmed the three Malfoys.

"Actually, she gave him one hell f a scolding later after my father showed her his memories regarding that moment." Devona whispered to Al while Scorpius gave a pleased smile.

_**Alicia took Gryffindor's penalty, but she was so angry she missed by several feet. The Gryffindor team was losing concentration and the Slytherins, delighted by Malfoy's foul on Harry, were being spurred on to greater heights.**_

_"__**Slytherin in possession, Slytherin heading for goal — Montague scores —" Lee groaned. "Seventy-twenty to Gryffindor…"**_

_**Harry was now marking Malfoy so closely their knees kept hitting each other. Harry wasn't going to let Malfoy anywhere near the Snitch…**_

_"__**Get out of it, Potter!" Malfoy yelled in frustration as he tried to turn and found Harry blocking him.**_

_"__**Angelina Johnson gets the Quaffle for Gryffindor, come on, Angelina, COME ON!"**_

_**Harry looked around. Every single Slytherin player apart from Malfoy was streaking up the pitch toward Angelina, including the Slytherin Keeper — they were all going to block her — Harry wheeled the Firebolt around, bent so low he was lying flat along the handle, and kicked it forward. Like a bullet, he shot toward the Slytherins.**_

_"__**AAAAAAARRRGH!"**_

_**They scattered as the Firebolt zoomed toward them; Angelina's way was clear.**_

_"__**SHE SCORES! SHE SCORES! Gryffindor leads by eighty Points to twenty!"**_

_**Harry, who had almost pelted headlong into the stands, skidded to a halt in midair, reversed, and zoomed back into the middle of the field.**_

_**And then he saw something to make his heart stand still. Malfoy was diving, a look of triumph on his face — there, a few feet above the grass below, was a tiny, golden glimmer —**_

_**Harry urged the Firebolt downward, but Malfoy was miles ahead —**_

_"__**Go! Go! Go!" Harry urged his broom. He was gaining on Malfoy — Harry flattened himself to the broom handle as Bole sent a Bludger at him — he was at Malfoy's ankles — he was level —**_

_**Harry threw himself forward, took both hands off his broom. He knocked Malfoy's arm out of the way and —**_

"At least did he almost get it." Severus tried talking to his friend who was growling at James.

_**He pulled out of his dive, his hand in the air, and the stadium exploded. Harry soared above the crowd, an odd ringing in his ears. The tiny golden ball was held tight in his fist, beating its wings hopelessly against his fingers.**_

_**Then Wood was speeding toward him, half-blinded by tears; he seized Harry around the neck and sobbed unrestrainedly into his shoulder. Harry felt two large thumps as Fred and George hit them; then Angelina's, Alicia's, and Katie's voices, "We've won the Cup! We've won the Cup!" Tangled together in a many-armed hug, the Gryffindor team sank, yelling hoarsely, back to earth.**_

_**Wave upon wave of crimson supporters was pouring over the barriers onto the field. Hands were raining down on their backs. Harry had a confused impression of noise and bodies pressing in on him. Then he, and the rest of the team, were hoisted onto the shoulders of the crowd. Thrust into the light, he saw Hagrid, Plastered with crimson rosettes — "Yeh beat 'em, Harry, yeh beat 'em! Wait till I tell Buckbeak!"**_

_**There was Percy, jumping up and down like a maniac, all dignity forgotten.**_

Everyone sniggered at that.

_**Professor McGonagall was sobbing harder even than Wood, wiping her eyes with an enormous Gryffindor flag; and there, fighting their way toward Harry, were Ron and Hermione. Words failed them. They simply beamed as Harry was borne toward the stands, where Dumbledore stood waiting with the enormous Quidditch Cup.**_

_**If only there had been a Dementor around…**_

"Harry." snapped a few people.

_**As a sobbing Wood passed Harry the Cup, as he lifted it into the air, Harry felt he could have produced the world's best Patronus.**_

"Well then this chapter is over, who would like to read?" Scorpius asked the group.

"I will." Druella offered, after her great-grandson passed her the book she looked up again. "I think that correct prophecy ability will come sooner in the book then we thought."

"What do you mean darling?"

"The title is _**Professor Trelawney's Prediction.**__"_

_To be continued…_


	17. Worrisome words, Professor Trelawney's P

XVII. Worrisome words,_** Professor Trelawney's Prediction**_

* * *

Druella turned her attention back to the book and started reading, she certainly was curious as to what the prophecy would hold.

_**Harry's euphoria at finally winning the Quidditch Cup lasted at least a week. Even the weather seemed to be celebrating; as June approached, the days became cloudless and sultry, and all anybody felt like doing was strolling onto the grounds and flopping down on the grass with several pints of iced pumpkin juice, perhaps playing a casual game of Gobstones or watching the giant squid propel itself dreamily across the surface of the lake.**_

_**But they couldn't. Exams were nearly upon them, and instead of lazing around outside, the students were forced to remain inside the castle, trying to bully their brains into concentrating while enticing wafts of summer air drifted in through the windows. Even Fred and George Weasley had been spotted working; **_

"Finally." Molly said approvingly.

_**they were about to take their O.W.L.s (Ordinary Wizarding Levels). Percy was getting ready to take his N.E.W.T.s (Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests), the highest qualification Hogwarts offered. As Percy hoped to enter the Ministry of Magic,**_

Arthur smiled at this proudly, but failed to notice Al shaking his head.

_**he needed top grades. He was becoming increasingly edgy, and gave very severe punishments to anybody who disturbed the quiet of the common room in the evenings. In fact, the only person who seemed more anxious than Percy was Hermione.**_

"And she is only a third year, I'm scared to find about her O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s year." Ted said while Lily saw her parents trying hard not to laugh at the two exam names, Petunia looked also amused which made her really happy.

_**Harry and Ron had given up asking her how she was managing to attend**_** several classes at once, but they couldn't restrain themselves when they saw the exam schedule she had drawn up for herself. The first column read:**

_**Monday**_

_**9 o'clock, Arithmancy**_

_**9 o'clock, Transfiguration**_

_**Lunch**_

_**1 o'clock, Charms**_

_**1 o'clock, Ancient Runes**_

"Erm…" was the only thing most people could say.

_"__**Hermione?" Ron said cautiously, because she was liable to explode when interrupted these days. **_

_**Hermione glared at Harry who just chuckled and said, "What it was true."**_

_"__**Er — are you sure you've copied down these times right?"**_

_"__**What?" snapped Hermione, picking up the exam schedule and examining it. "Yes, of course I have."**_

"Uhm…Harry, Ron for your own safety, stop pestering her about them." James said carefully.

_"__**Is there any point asking how you're going to sit for two exams at once?" said Harry.**_

_"__**No," said Hermione shortly. "Have either of you seen my copy of Numerology and Gramatica?"**_

_"__**Oh, yeah, I borrowed it for a bit of bedtime reading," said Ron, but very quietly. **_

"Uncle Ron still hasn't got the guts to say such things out loud to her."

"If he can't say it out loud then he shouldn't comment." Alphonse said while shaking his head.

_**Hermione started shifting heaps of parchment. Harry, Ron, and Hermione had plenty of opportunity to speak to Hagrid.**_

_"__**Beaky's gettin' a bit depressed," Hagrid told them, bending low on the pretense of checking that Harry's flobberworm was still alive. "Bin cooped up too long. But still… we'll know day after tomorrow — one way or the other —"**_

_**They had Potions that afternoon, which was an unqualified disaster. **_

"Ugh…please tell me that there won't be at least no exploding potions." Severus groaned, one hand on his face.

_**Try as Harry might, he couldn't get his Confusing Concoction to thicken, and Snape, standing watch with an air of vindictive pleasure, scribbled something that looked suspiciously like a zero onto his notes before moving away.**_

"Thought he always let him pass at the end of the year." Devona said.

"That is true even thought he gets zeros in class." Lily said before breaking out giggling.

"Uh…Lily, I fail to see how this is amusing." James said.

"Sorry, but it seems as if Sev would tease Harry in his own way, he always gives him a zero and then at the end of he class after they left he changes the mark." she explained still amused.

_**Then came Astronomy at midnight, up on the tallest tower; History of Magic on Wednesday morning, in which Harry scribbled everything Florean Fortescue had ever told him about medieval witch-hunts, while wishing he could have had one of Fortescue's choconut sundaes with him in the stifling classroom.**_

"Could we get some ice cream after this chapter?" Sirius asked.

"Yes Sirius after the chapter we adults will apparate to Diagon Alley while you can continue reading and get ice for everyone, and now let me read." Druella said to her now broadly smiling nephew.

"Thanks aunt Dru." he said while using the nickname she hadn't heard since the boy was four, she never knew just how she had missed that.

_**Wednesday afternoon meant Herbology, in the greenhouses under a baking-hot sun; then back to the common room once more, with sunburnt necks, thinking longingly of this time next day, when it would all be over.**_

_**Their second to last exam, on Thursday morning, was Defense Against the Dark Arts. Professor Lupin had compiled the most unusual exam any of them had ever taken; a sort of obstacle course outside in the sun, **_

"Wow, Remus you are brilliant." Sirius said while hugging his blushing friend.

"This certainly sounds interesting and was a good idea." Alphonse agreed nodding.

"Al has also similar exams with usually one of us or the other professors helping in." Scorpius said grinning.

"Really?" Frank asked remembering that the young man sting there himself was a DADA professor.

"Yes and randomly over the course of the year I imitate a serious attack it helps to see who can think clearly in such an unexpected situation." Al explained, tone showing how much he loved his work.

_**where they had to wade across a deep paddling pool containing a Grindylow, cross a series of potholes full of Red Caps, squish their way across a patch of marsh while ignoring misleading directions from a Hinkypunk, then climb into an old trunk and battle with a new Boggart.**_

"Finally a teacher with sense, that is the way a child learns how to defend themselves if they get first hand experience while still observed by a person who knows if they need to help or not." Cygnus said approvingly to Remus who was blushing even more.

"Even I would have liked being your student with such challenging exams." Bellatrix said smirking, oh yes that exam sounded more fun then sitting by a table and writing.

_"__**Excellent, Harry," Lupin muttered as Harry climbed out of the trunk, grinning. "Full marks."**_

_**Flushed with his success, Harry hung around to watch Ron and Hermione. Ron did very well until he reached the Hinkypunk, which successfully confused him into sinking waist-high into the quagmire. **_

"That is not that bad." Arthur said.

_**Hermione did everything perfectly until she reached the trunk with the Boggart in it. After about a minute inside it, she burst out again, screaming.**_

"Wow, that must have been something frightening the Bogart showed her to get that reaction…or not?" James asked when the three professors broke out laughing and even Druella let out a little laugh.

_"__**Hermione!" said Lupin, startled. "What's the matter?"**_

_"__**P-P-Professor McGonagall!" Hermione gasped, pointing into the trunk. "Sh-she said I'd failed everything!"**_

At this everyone bust out laughing before Druella read a bit forth and then started frowning.

"Hmm…what did she actually see?" she asked.

"Huh?"

"Now looking at it even so obsessive about learning her reaction is a bit to…" Druella didn't finish, but looked at the trio.

"That was she said was really her Bogart, but at that moment by the exam was it my father laying dead and blood cowered in front of her." Al explained "She was frightened that Sirius would be really after him and kill him." Lily gasped while James held her.

_**It took a little while to calm Hermione down.**_

"She was really frightened for him."

_**When at last she had regained a grip on herself, she, Harry, and Ron went back to the castle. Ron was still slightly inclined to laugh at Hermione's Boggart, but an argument was averted by the sight that met them on the top of the steps.**_

_**Cornelius Fudge, sweating slightly in his pinstriped cloak, was standing there staring out at the grounds. He started at the sight of Harry.**_

"Why is that idiot there?" Sirius growled while Lucius groaned and buried his head in to the croak of Severus's neck.

_"__**Hello there, Harry!" he said. "Just had an exam, I expect? Nearly finished?"**_

_"__**Yes," said Harry. Hermione and Ron, not being on speaking terms with the Minister of Magic, hovered awkwardly in the background.**_

_"__**Lovely day," said Fudge, casting an eye over the lake. "Pity… pity…"**_

_**He sighed deeply and looked down at Harry.**_

_"__**I'm here on an unpleasant mission, Harry. The Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures required a witness to the execution of a mad Hippogriff. As I needed to visit Hogwarts to check on the Black situation, I was asked to step in."**_

_"__**Does that mean the appeal's already happened?" Ron interrupted, stepping forward.**_

_"__**No, no, it's scheduled for this afternoon," said Fudge, looking curiously at Ron.**_

Many people growled at the Minister.

_"__**Then you might not have to witness an execution at all!" said Ron stoutly. "The Hippogriff might get off!"**_

_**Before Fudge could answer, two wizards came through the castle doors behind him. One was so ancient he appeared to be withering before their very eyes; the other was tall and strapping, with a thin back mustache. Harry gathered that they were representatives of the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures, because the very old wizard squinted toward Hagrid's cabin and said in a feeble voice, "Dear, dear, I'm getting too old for this… Two o'clock, isn't it, Fudge?"**_

"I think I might have seen that man a few times in the Ministry." Alphonse said in a thoughtful tone.

_**The black-mustached man was fingering something in his belt; Harry looked and saw that he was running one broad thumb along the blade of a shining axe. Ron opened his mouth to say something, but Hermione nudged him hard in the ribs and jerked her head toward the entrance hall.**_

_"__**Why'd you stop me?" said Ron angrily as they entered the Great Hall for lunch. "Did you see them? They've even got the axe ready! This isn't justice!"**_

_"__**Ron, your dad works for the Ministry, you can't go saying things like that to his boss!" said Hermione, **_

"She is right I wouldn't put it pat Fudge to make Arthur some problems if Ron would have commented, that flying car thing last year is probably still lingering in the Ministry." Frank said.

_**but she too looked very upset. "As long as Hagrid keeps his head this time, and argues his case properly, they can't possibly execute Buckbeak…"**_

_**But Harry could tell Hermione didn't really believe what she was saying.**_

"Even thought he is a good guy, Hagrid is still Hagrid." James said groaning.

_**All around them, people were talking excitedly as they ate their lunch, happily anticipating the end of the exams that afternoon, but Harry, Ron, and Hermione, lost in worry about Hagrid and Buckbeak, didn't join in.**_

_**Harry's and Ron's last exam was Divination; Hermione's, Muggle Studies. They walked up the marble staircase together; Hermione left them on the first floor and Harry and Ron proceeded all the way up to the seventh, where many of their class were sitting on the spiral staircase to Professor Trelawney's classroom, trying to cram in a bit of last-minute studying.**_

_"__**She's seeing us all separately," Neville informed them as they went to sit down next to him. He had his copy of Unfogging the Future open on his lap at the pages devoted to crystal gazing. "Have either of you ever seen anything in a crystal ball?" he asked them unhappily.**_

_"__**Nope," said Ron in an offhand voice. He kept checking his watch; Harry knew that he was counting down the time until Buckbeak's appeal started.**_

_**The line of people outside the classroom shortened very slowly. As each person climbed back down the silver ladder, the rest of the class hissed, "What did she ask? Was it okay?"**_

_**But they all refused to say.**_

"To bad." Sirius said.

_"__**She says the crystal ball's told her that if I tell you, I'll have a horrible accident!" squeaked Neville as he clambered back down the ladder toward Harry and Ron, who had now reached the landing.**_

_"__**That's convenient," snorted Ron. "You know, I'm starting to think Hermione was right about her" — he jabbed his thumb toward the trapdoor overhead — "she's a right old fraud."**_

_"__**Yeah," said Harry, looking at his own watch. It was now two o'clock. "Wish she'd hurry up…"**_

_**Parvati came back down the ladder glowing with pride.**_

_"__**She says I've got all the makings of a true Seer," she informed Harry and Ron. "I saw loads of stuff… Well, good luck!"**_

_**She hurried off down the spiral staircase toward Lavender.**_

_"__**Ronald Weasley," said the familiar, misty voice from over their heads. Ron grimaced at Harry and climbed the silver ladder out of sight. Harry was now the only person left to be tested. He settled himself on the floor with his back against the wall, listening to a fly buzzing in the sunny window, his mind across the grounds with Hagrid.**_

_**Finally, after about twenty minutes, Ron's large feet reappeared on the ladder.**_

_"__**How'd it go?" Harry asked him, standing up.**_

_"__**Rubbish," said Ron. "Couldn't see a thing, so I made some stuff up. Don't think she was convinced, though…"**_

_"__**Meet you in the common room," Harry muttered as Professor Trelawney's voice called, "Harry Potter!"**_

_**The tower room was hotter than ever before; the curtains were closed, the fire was alight, and the usual sickly scent made Harry cough as he stumbled through the clutter of chairs and table to where Professor Trelawney sat waiting for him before a large crystal ball.**_

_"__**Good day, my dear," she said softly. "If you would kindly gaze into the Orb… Take your time, now… then tell me what you see within it…"**_

_**Harry bent over the crystal ball and stared, stared as hard as he could, willing it to show him something other than swirling white fog, but nothing happened.**_

_"__**Well?" Professor Trelawney prompted delicately. "What do you see?"**_

_**The heat was overpowering and his nostrils were stinging with the perfumed smoke wafting from the fire beside them. He thought of what Ron had just said, and decided to pretend.**_

"He could at least try a little bit." Lily said disapprovingly.

_"__**Er —" said Harry, "a dark shape… um…"**_

_"__**What does it resemble?" whispered Professor Trelawney. "Think, now…"**_

_**Harry cast his mind around and it landed on Buckbeak.**_

_**"A Hippogriff," he said firmly.**_

_"__**Indeed!" whispered Professor Trelawney, scribbling keenly on the parchment perched upon her knees. "My boy, you may well be seeing the outcome of poor Hagrid's trouble with the Ministry of Magic! Look closer… Does the Hippogriff appear to… have its head?"**_

_"__**Yes," said Harry firmly.**_

_"__**Are you sure?" Professor Trelawney urged him. "Are you quite sure, dear? You don't see it writhing on the ground, perhaps, and a shadowy figure raising an axe behind it?"**_

_"__**No!" said Harry, starting to feel slightly sick.**_

_"__**No blood? No weeping Hagrid?"**_

"Uhm…hopefully isn't she foreshadowing…" Alice said nervously.

_**Professor Trelawney sighed.**_

_"__**Well, dear, I think we'll leave it there… A little disappointing… but I'm sure you did your best."**_

Druella looked up from the book, her face a little bit pale.

"Dru, love?" Cygnus called to her carefully to his wife.

"Mom?" Andromeda also tried, but like her father was she also ignored.

"When you told us that this woman can manage true prophecies you three failed to mention just _**how**_ serious those are. Serious please not the lame joke with your name again at the moment this is not the place." Druella said her tone carrying a hint of worry in it.

"What did she say Druella?" Daria asked her friend.

"You will see." she replied before starting reading againg.

_**Relieved, Harry got up, picked up his bag and turned to go, but then a loud, harsh voice spoke behind him.**_

_**"IT WILL HAPPEN TONIGHT."**_

"Uh oh…that is already a wrong start..." James said nervously.

_**Harry wheeled around. Professor Trelawney had gone rigid in her armchair; her eyes were unfocused and her mouth sagging.**_

_"__**S — sorry?" said Harry.**_

_**But Professor Trelawney didn't seem to hear him. Her eyes started to roll. Harry sat there in a panic. She looked as though she was about to have some sort of seizure.**_

"This is actually normal by true seers as is the change of they voice or the way they speak." Daria explained, the grandmother of one of her friends was also like that when she saw something.

_**He hesitated, thinking of running to the hospital wing — and then Professor Trelawney spoke again, in the same harsh voice, quite unlike her own:**_

_"__**THE DARK LORD LIES ALONE AND FRIENDLESS, ABANDONED BY HIS FOLLOWERS. HIS SERVANT HAS BEEN CHAINED THESE TWELVE YEARS. TONIGHT, BEFORE MIDNIGHT… THE SERVANT WILL BREAK FREE AND SET OUT TO REJOIN HIS MASTER. THE DARK LORD WILL RISE AGAIN WITH HIS SERVANT'S AID, GREATER AND MORE TERRIBLE THAN EVER HE WAS. TONIGHT… BEFORE MIDNIGHT… THE SERVANT… WILL SET OUT… TO REJOIN… HIS MASTER…"**_

Death silence fell over the room after Druella finished reading the unsettling prophecy.

"Ugh…did I say that the beginning was not good? The whole thing is unsettling!" exclaimed James as he moved closer to his parents as did most of them who had a relative present.

Everyone felt tense and nervous so they failed to notice the future trio who exchanged dark looks they would soon need to hold everyone away from murdering Peter on the spot. They would also need to try mending the emotional wound when they realize that the greatest betrayal in the history of the Wizarding World was committed not by a Slytherin, but a Griffindor.

"Great-grandaunt Druella, can you continue?" Scorpius asked her softly.

"I…I can continue." she said, voice still shaking a little bit.

_**Professor Trelawney's head fell forward onto her chest. She made a grunting sort of noise. Harry sat there, staring at her. Then, quite suddenly, Professor Trelawney's head snapped up again.**_

_"__**I'm so sorry, dear boy," she said dreamily, "the heat of the day, you know… I drifted off for a moment…"**_

"You were right, she doesn't realize it if her power actually shows." Remus said.

"Well at least we now know that she isn't a fraud or useless." Ted agreed.

_**Harry sat there, staring at her.**_

_**"Is there anything wrong, my dear?"**_

_"__**You — you just told me that the — the Dark Lord's going to rise again… that his servant's going to go back to him."**_

_**Professor Trelawney looked thoroughly startled.**_

_"__**The Dark Lord? He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named? My dear boy, that's hardly something to joke about… Rise again, indeed —"**_

_"__**But you just said it! You said the Dark Lord —"**_

_"__**I think you must have dozed off too, dear!" said Professor Trelawney. "I would certainly not presume to predict anything quite as far-fetched as that!"**_

_**Harry climbed back down the ladder and the spiral staircase, wondering… had he just heard Professor Trelawney make a real prediction? Or had that been her idea of an impressive end to the test?**_

"Doubt that any person would be joking about that." Severus said nervously, he felt worried. According to that prophecy have the Death Eaters deserted they master after is fall which means severe punishment when he returns. He worried for Lucius's safety, he feared what that madman he was related to by Slytherin's blood would do to his friend.

_**Five minutes later he was dashing past the security trolls outside the entrance to Gryffindor Tower, Professor Trelawney's words still resounding in his head. People were striding past him in the opposite direction, laughing and joking, heading for the grounds and a bit of long-awaited freedom; by the time he had reached the portrait hole and entered the common room, it was almost deserted. Over in the corner, however, sat Ron and Hermione.**_

_"__**Professor Trelawney," Harry panted, "just told me —"**_

_**But he stopped abruptly at the sight of their faces.**_

_"__**Buckbeak lost," said Ron weakly. "Hagrid's just sent this."**_

"Ugh…and now also that…"

_**Hagrid's note was dry this time, no tears had splattered it, yet his hand seemed to have shaken so much as he wrote that it was hardly legible.**_

_**Lost appeal. They're going to execute at sunset. Nothing you can do. Don't come down. I don't want you to see it.**_

_**Hagrid**_

_"__**We've got to go," said Harry at once. "He can't just sit there on his own, waiting for the executioner!"**_

"That I definitely what Al would do in such a situation while still trying to work out a plan to help." Scorpius said smiling.

_"__**Sunset, though," said Ron, who was staring out the window ill a glazed sort of way. "We'd never be allowed… 'specially you, Harry…"**_

_**Harry sank his head into his hands, thinking.**_

_"__**If we only had the Invisibility Cloak…"**_

_"__**Where is it?" said Hermione.**_

_**Harry told her about leaving it in the passageway under the one-eyed witch.**_

_"… __**if Snape sees me anywhere near there again, I'm in serious trouble," he finished.**_

"You can be sure about that."

_"__**That's true," said Hermione, getting to her feet. "If he sees you… How do you open the witch's hump again?"**_

_"__**You — you tap it and say, 'Dissendium,'" said Harry. "But —"**_

_**Hermione didn't wait for the rest of his sentence; she strode across the room, pushed open the Fat Lady's portrait and vanished from sight.**_

_"__**She hasn't gone to get it?" Ron said, staring after her.**_

"Of course she went she would be not that suspicious as you and beside that is se your friend." Lily stated.

_**She had. Hermione returned a quarter of an hour later with the silvery cloak folded carefully under her robes.**_

_"__**Hermione, I don't know what's gotten, into you lately!" said Ron, astounded. "First you hit Malfoy, then you walk out on Professor Trelawney —"**_

_**Hermione looked rather flattered.**_

"She isn't only all brains and reason you know, we found that also out about Moony here." James said jokingly.

"Don't remind me how you corrupted me."

_**They went down to dinner with everybody else, but did not return to Gryffindor Tower afterward. Harry had the cloak hidden down the front of his robes; he had to keep his arms folded to hide the lump. They skulked in an empty chamber off the entrance hall, listening, until they were sure it was deserted. They heard a last pair of people hurrying across the hall and a door slamming. Hermione poked her head around the door.**_

_"__**Okay," she whispered, "no one there — cloak on —"**_

_**Walking very close together so that nobody would see them, they crossed the hall on tiptoe beneath the cloak, then walked down the stone front steps into the grounds. The sun was already sinking behind the Forbidden Forest, gilding the top branches of the trees.**_

_**They reached Hagrid's cabin and knocked. He was a minute in answering, and when he did, he looked all around for his visitor, pale-faced and trembling.**_

_"__**It's us," Harry hissed. "We're wearing the Invisibility Cloak. Let us in and we can take it off."**_

_"__**Yeh shouldn've come!" Hagrid whispered, but he stood back, and they stepped inside. Hagrid shut the door quickly and Harry pulled off the cloak.**_

_**Hagrid was not crying, nor did he throw himself upon their necks. He looked like a man who did not know where he was or what to do. This helplessness was worse to watch than tears.**_

_"__**Wan' some tea?" he said. His great hands were shaking as he reached for the kettle.**_

_"__**Where's Buckbeak, Hagrid?" said Hermione hesitantly.**_

_"__**I — I took him outside," said Hagrid, spilling milk all over the table as he filled up the jug. "He's tethered in me pumpkin patch. Thought he oughta see the trees an' — an' smell fresh air — before —"**_

_**Hagrid's hand trembled so violently that the milk jug slipped from his grasp and shattered all over the floor.**_

_"__**I'll do it, Hagrid," said Hermione quickly, hurrying over and starting to clean up the mess.**_

_"__**There's another one in the cupboard," Hagrid said, sitting down and wiping his forehead on his sleeve. Harry glanced at Ron, who looked back hopelessly.**_

_"__**Isn't there anything anyone can do, Hagrid?" Harry asked fiercely, sitting down next to him. "Dumbledore —"**_

_"__**He's tried," said Hagrid. "He's got no power ter overrule the Committee. He told 'em Buckbeak's all right, but they're scared… Yeh know what Lucius Malfoy's like… threatened 'em, I expect… an' the executioner, Macnair, he's an old pal o' Malfoy's… **_

Lucius was again clinging to Severus who gave his best death glare to everyone who dared to even try saying something bad about Lucius.

"Hey, by Macnair does Hagrid mean Walden Macnair that Ravenclaw who finished four years ago?" Aractus asked suddenly.

"I think yes, seems like he found his dream job." Lucius said.

"What do you mean?"

"I think I remember him he always had a frightening and violent aura around himself." Arthur said nervously, he was glad when he graduated, but it seems that he would see him again.

"Ugh…yep he was frightening and he wanted to date me." Rosier said shuddering as everyone stared at him wide eyed then turning away.

"As already pointed out that guy was a nutter." Aractus said while the others nodded.

_**but it'll be quick an' clean…**_

"With him as the executioner, you can bet on that."

"I don't know if I should find this reassuring or unsettling." Ted said shuddering.

_**an' I'll be beside him…"**_

_**Hagrid swallowed. His eyes were darting all over the cabin as though looking for some shred of hope or comfort.**_

_"__**Dumbledore's gonna come down while it — while it happens. Wrote me this mornin'. Said he wants ter — ter be with me. Great man, Dumbledore…"**_

_**Hermione, who had been rummaging in Hagrid's cupboard for another milk jug, let out a small, quickly stifled sob. She straightened up with the new jug in her hands, fighting back tears.**_

_"__**We'll stay with you too, Hagrid," she began, but Hagrid shook his shaggy head.**_

_"__**Yeh're ter go back up ter the castle. I told yeh, I don' wan' yeh watchin'. An' yeh shouldn' be down here anyway… If Fudge an' Dumbledore catch yeh out without permission, Harry, yeh'll be in big trouble."**_

_**Silent tears were now streaming down Hermione's face, but she hid them from Hagrid, bustling around making tea. Then, as she picked up the milk bottle to pour some into the jug, she let out a shriek.**_

_"__**Ron, I don't believe it — it's Scabbers!"**_

"What!" exclaimed many people.

"But all evidences showed that he might have been eaten." Remus said.

"I'm glad that he is fine." Peter said happily while the three professors's gazes darkened again much to Remus's suspicion, had Ron's rat a significal meaning to it? Then suddenly the words of the prophecy flashed in to his mind…no, no he must be wrong, he had to…

_**Ron gaped at her.**_

_**"What are you talking about?"**_

_**Hermione carried the milk jug over to the table and turned it upside down. With a frantic squeak, and much scrambling to get back inside, Scabbers the rat came sliding out onto the table.**_

_"__**Scabbers!" said Ron blankly. "Scabbers, what are you doing here?"**_

_**He grabbed the struggling rat and held him up to the light. Scabbers looked dreadful. He was thinner than ever, large tufts of hair had fallen out leaving wide bald patches, and he writhed in Ron's hands as though desperate to free himself.**_

"That is strange, rats are fairly intelligent and he should react more gladder to his owner and not try to escape." Peter said thoughtfully while Remus felt as if he would throw up.

_"__**It's okay, Scabbers!" said Ron. "No cats! There's nothing here to hurt you!"**_

_**Hagrid suddenly stood up, his eyes fixed on the window. His normally ruddy face had gone the color of parchment.**_

_"__**They're comin'…"**_

_**Harry, Ron, and Hermione whipped around. A group of men was walking down the distant castle steps. In front was Albus Dumbledore, his silver beard gleaming in the dying sun. Next to him trotted Cornelius Fudge. Behind them came the feeble old Committee member and the executioner, Macnair.**_

_"__**Yeh gotta go," said Hagrid. Every inch of him was trembling. "They mustn' find yeh here… Go now…"**_

_**Ron stuffed Scabbers into his pocket and Hermione picked up the cloak. "I'll let yeh out the back way," said Hagrid.**_

_**They followed him to the door into his back garden. Harry felt strangely unreal, and even more so when he saw Buckbeak a few yards away, tethered to a tree behind Hagrid's pumpkin patch. Buckbeak seemed to know something was happening. He turned his sharp head from side to side and pawed the ground nervously.**_

The three professors started snickering at this earning themselves strange gazes.

"I fail to see what is that amusing." Lily said disapprovingly similar to the look Narcissa was giving her grandson.

"Don't worry we are not laughing about the execution, you will understand what is so amusing in a few chapters." Al said smirking.

_"__**It's okay, Beaky," said Hagrid softly. "It's okay…" He turned to Harry, Ron, and Hermione. "Go on," he said. "Get goin'."**_

_**But they didn't move.**_

_"__**Hagrid, we can't —"**_

_"__**We'll tell them what really happened —"**_

_"__**They can't kill him —"**_

_"__**Go!" said Hagrid fiercely. "It's bad enough without you lot in trouble an' all!"**_

_**They had no choice. As Hermione threw the cloak over Harry and Ron, they heard voices at the front of the cabin. Hagrid looked at the place where they had just vanished from sight.**_

_"__**Go quick," he said hoarsely. "Don' listen…"**_

_**And he strode back into his cabin as someone knocked at the front door.**_

_**Slowly, in a kind of horrified trance, Harry, Ron, and Hermione set off silently around Hagrid's house. As they reached the other side, the front door closed with a sharp snap.**_

_"__**Please, let's hurry," Hermione whispered. "I can't stand it, I can't bear it…"**_

_**They started up the sloping lawn toward the castle. The sun was sinking fast now; the sky had turned to a clear, purple-tinged gray, but to the west there was a ruby-red glow.**_

_**Ron stopped dead.**_

_"__**Oh, please, Ron," Hermione began.**_

_"__**It's Scabbers — he won't — stay put —"**_

"I'm no expert on rats, but it strangely seems as if Scabbers is doing anything to get away from Ron." Arthur said.

_**Ron was bent over, trying to keep Scabbers in his pocket, but the rat was going berserk; squeaking madly, twisting and flailing, trying to sink his teeth into Ron's hand.**_

_"__**Scabbers, it's me, you idiot, it's Ron," Ron hissed.**_

_**They heard a door open behind them and men's voices.**_

_"__**Oh, Ron, please let's move, they're going to do it!" Hermione breathed.**_

_"__**Okay — Scabbers, stay put —"**_

_**They walked forward; Harry, like Hermione, was trying not to listen to the rumble of voices behind them. Ron stopped again.**_

_"__**I can't hold him — Scabbers, shut up, everyone'll hear us —"**_

_**The rat was squealing wildly, but not loudly enough to cover up the sounds drifting from Hagrid's garden. There was a jumble of indistinct male voices, a silence, and then, without warning, the unmistakable swish and thud of an axe.**_

The girls had silent tears in they eyes while the boys tryed to calm then down.

_**Hermione swayed on the spot.**_

_"__**They did it!" she whispered to Harry. "I'd — don't believe it — they did it!"**_

"This is the end of the chapter." Druella said, standing up and dusting her robes down, the other parents did the same. "As promised we will get now the ice cream, Merlin knows we will need it beside the chocolate." she said while heading for the busted door.

_To be continued…_


	18. The bitter taste of betrayal, Cat, Rat,

XVIII. The bitter taste of betrayal,_** Cat, Rat, and Dog**_

* * *

After the parents left them stayed he children in silence, only looking at the book, no one moving to pick it up. Al held back a sigh they need to get over it because it will only get more painful to read, but now that they had started they also needed to finish them. He needed to act somehow, but didn't know how well luckily for him took Devona again the initiative.

"If you will only just sit there sulking and being depressed then I need to take over this chapter. Get over it finally, you aren't some snootnosed little kids. These books are here for you to change what went wrong, but here you are sitting around with bowed heads. Believe me these books will only get with each chapter worse mistakes, betrayal, death, blood, war, redemption, hope, tears, ripped apart bonds, vengeance, despair and many more will come so pull yourselves together." with that Devona grabbed the book and sat back down by her grinning friends while the others stared at her wide eyed. Marge and Vernon flew to hide in they room from the freaks, but Petunia stayed.

"Uh…wow, do you handle your students like that?" James asked.

"Of course if they act like that without a good ground, that same goes also for my children." she replied with a sneer while opening the book by the new chapter.

"The same goes also for her best friends also, so you see that I had always the best motivation." Al said grinning.

"Wow looks like you have inherited that from Sev…uhm…minus the threat to be hexed in to oblivion or force feeding poison." Lucius said while grinning awkwardly.

"Don't worry, she does the same if she is really mad at us." Scorpius replied grinning before he sighed together with both Al and Lucius before dropping they heads.

"And they usually don't mean it as a joke." they said in union.

"Sometimes you deserve it." replied both Severus and Devona together.

"I think this looks in a way cute." Narcissa said giggling at the scene.

"Well you can certainly see the dynamic there." Rudolphus said smiling "Eeeppp!"

"Rudolphus cut it out those two are only little kids and my cousin and niece." Bellatrix said while rolling her eyes at her fiancé's panicked expression when both Regulus and Dora sat down in his lap.

"Devona, I think you should start reading, but before that for everyones safety, _Accio wands_." Al said to his friend, all wands flew in to his hand from which he only returned Devona's and Scorp's, while he and Scorpius got ready to stop the group from murderer with bare hands.

"Tue, I should start." she replied "_**Cat, Rat, and Dog" **_

"Huh…interesting title maybe we get now some answers." James said smiling, but Remus felt his insides lurch again in dread from the truth.

_**Harry's mind had gone blank with shock. The three of them stood transfixed with horror under the Invisibility Cloak. The very last rays of the setting sun were casting a bloody light over the long-shadowed grounds.**_

"Prongs, Lily, your son has such a cheerful imagination." Sirius said sarcastically.

"Then you were never faced with this bloke's lovely imagination, what was it once with those roses blooming in the snow thanks to a potion Devs had invented. Hmm…like fresh blood of the slain innocent staining the pure snow of the soul?" Scorpius asked while Al was glaring at him, which would have had more effect if he weren't blushing while doing so.

"Uhm…I take it back, and what exactly is your excuse for having such an imagination?" Sirius asked at which Al sighed.

"You remember hopefully that my name is Albus Severus?" he asked, both of his namesakes were brilliant thought one could be called in a way mad while the other was a spy whose true allegiances were only revealed upon his death, he had every right to be what others call strange. _"And luckily they have absolutely no clue regarding the prophecy concerning us three." _he thought.

"Erm true with the slightly crazed and in my godson's time occasionally senile Dumbles and a s…" Devona's icy glare stopped him from commenting any further.

"Do you wish to say something regarding my father." Devona asked calmly, somewhat too calmly for everyone's taste.

"Erm…uh huh…well…I only wanted to say that erm…please continue reading Devona." Sirius said nervously.

"I thought so."

"Man, that girl really can hold control over others." Frank whispered to James.

"Tell me more about it, even McGonagall hasn't so much control over him with her glared." James replied back.

_**Then, behind them, they heard a wild howling.**_

_"__**Hagrid," Harry muttered. Without thinking about what he was doing, he made to turn back, but both Ron and Hermione seized his arms.**_

"Ah, another fond memory." Scorpius said smiling "Hey Devs, how often did we need to do this in our Hogwarts years?" he asked playfully at which Devona looked up from the book smiling.

"I lost cont after the fortieth occasion in our first year, but ask Flint the Slytherin Quidditch team made together a _"Here we go again" _list with the help of the whole House." she said.

"What!" the two men yelled in shock while the others sniggered.

"You heard me and now let me read."

_"__**We can't," said Ron, who was paper-white. "He'll be in worse trouble if they know we've been to see him…"**_

_**Hermione's breathing was shallow and uneven.**_

_"__**How — could — they?" she choked. "How could they?"**_

_"__**Come on," said Ron, whose teeth seemed to be chattering.**_

_**They set off back toward the castle, walking slowly to keep themselves hidden under the cloak. The light was fading fast now.**_

_**By the time they reached open ground, darkness was settling like a spell around them.**_

"Again these lovely images from Prongslet." Sirius muttered.

"Hush Sirius and let Devona read." Remus told his friend.

"Yes mommy." he replied at which everyone sniggered while Remus pouted.

_"__**Scabbers, keep still," Ron hissed, clamping his hand over his chest. The rat was wriggling madly. Ron came to a sudden halt, trying to force Scabbers deeper into his pocket. "What's the matter with you, You stupid rat? Stay still — OUCH! He bit me!"**_

_"__**Ron, be quiet!" Hermione whispered urgently. "Fudge'll be out here in a minute —"**_

_"__**He won't — stay — put —"**_

_**Scabbers was plainly terrified. He was writhing with all his might, trying to break free of Ron's grip.**_

_"__**What's the matter with him?"**_

"I think we are all burning to know the answer." Bellatrix drawled.

_**But Harry had just seen — stinking toward them, his body low to the ground, wide yellow eyes glinting eerily in the darkness — Crookshanks. Whether he could see them or was following the sound of Scabbers's squeaks, Harry couldn't tell.**_

_"__**Crookshanks!" Hermione moaned. "No, go away, Crookshanks! Go away!"**_

"That cat is certainly acting persistent in the matter to catch that rat." Narcissa said in a thoughtful tone.

"But it ma be part Kanzle so it would be understandable why it is so determined to go after only one target." Andromeda said while Remus grabbed a bar of chocolate.

"Remus, are you alright you look slightly pale." Frank said while looking worriedly at the werewolf.

"I…I'm fine Frank, Devona please continue…" Remus said and luckily for him the Potions Mistress continued, so one has already figured it out.

_**But the cat was getting nearer —**_

_"__**Scabbers — NO!"**_

_**Too late — the rat had slipped between Ron's clutching fingers, hit the ground, and scampered away. In one bound, Crookshanks sprang after him, and before Harry or Hermione could stop him, Ron had thrown the Invisibility Cloak off himself and pelted away into the darkness.**_

_"__**Ron!" Hermione moaned.**_

_**She and Harry looked at each other, then followed at a sprint; it was impossible to run full out under the cloak; they pulled it off and it streamed behind them like a banner as they hurtled after Ron; **_

"No, don't leave the cloak behind, you remember what happened the last time you did that in your first year." James moaned.

_**they could hear his feet thundering along ahead and his shouts at Crookshanks.**_

_"__**Get away from him — get away — Scabbers, come here —"**_

_**There was a loud thud.**_

_"__**Gotcha! Get off, you stinking cat —"**_

_**Harry and Hermione almost fell over Ron; they skidded to a stop right in front of him. He was sprawled on the ground, but Scabbers was back in his pocket; he had both hands held tight over the quivering lump.**_

_"__**Ron — come on back under the cloak —" Hermione panted. "Dumbledore — the Minister — they'll be coming back out in a minute —"**_

_**But before they could cover themselves again, before they could even catch their breath, they heard the soft pounding of gigantic paws… Something was bounding toward them, quiet as a shadow — an enormous, pale-eyed, jet-black dog.**_

"Sirius, it is too dangerous to show yourself there." James told his best friend worriedly.

"I agree with Potter on this Sirius." Bellatrix said, hands on her hips.

"Can I ask someone to hold him?" Devona asked confusing everyone, but Remus suddenly understood and wrapped his arms tightly around his friend.

"Moony wha…" but Devona was reading again.

_**Harry reached for his wand, but too late — the dog had made an enormous leap and the front paws hit him on the chest; he keeled over backward in a whirl of hair; he felt its hot breath, saw inch-long teeth —**_

_**But the force of its leap had carried it too far; it rolled off him. Dazed, feeling as though his ribs were broken, Harry tried to stand up; **_

"PADFOOT!" James snarled while Lily growled, but Alice and Petunia were holding her.

"B…bro…broken ri…ribs…" Sirius stammered shocked while Remus tightened his grip around him.

"They were only slightly bruised, you don't need to panic because of that." Al said in a calm tone.

_**he could hear it growling as it skidded around for a new attack. **_

_**Ron was on his feet. As the dog sprang back toward them he pushed Harry aside; the dog's jaws fastened instead around Ron's outstretched arm. Harry lunged forward, he seized a handful of the brute's hair, but it was dragging Ron away as easily as though he were a rag doll —**_

"Just…WHAT THE BLOODY HELL AM I DOING THERE!" Sirius yelled in panic while Arthur held a shaking Molly.

"I would also like to know what the bloody hell you are doing there." James growled.

"Everyone try to calm down." and _'try'_ was the keyword then I didn't seem to work.

"This doesn't seem to work out." Devona said after five minutes, holding the book in one hand she raised her wand with the other. "_Petrificus Totalus"_ she called firmly and suddenly went Sirius, James and Bellatrix stiff as boards. "The others will get the same treatment if we see a danger in them hurting someone." she said while Remus gave a sad nod.

_**Then, out of nowhere, something hit Harry so hard across the face he was knocked off his feet again. He heard Hermione shriek with pain and fall too.**_

_**Harry groped for his wand, blinking blood out of his eyes**_

"MY BABY!" Lily screamed in horror.

_"__**Lumos!" he whispered.**_

_**The wandlight showed him the trunk of a thick tree; they had chased Scabbers into the shadow of the Whomping Willow and its branches were creaking as though in a high wind, whipping backward and forward to stop them going nearer.**_

"Oh no!" Narcissa exclaimed as she hung to Andromeda.

"My Ron." Molly sobbed.

"Grandma, he will be fine." Al tried reassuring his grandmother.

_**And there, at the base of the trunk, was the dog, dragging Ron backward into a large gap in the roots — Ron was fighting furiously, but his head and torso were slipping out of sight —**_

_"__**Ron!" Harry shouted, trying to follow, but a heavy branch whipped lethally through the air and he was forced backward again.**_

_**All they could see now was one of Ron's legs, which he had hooked around a root in an effort to stop the dog from pulling him farther underground — but a horrible crack cut the air like a gunshot; Ron's leg had broken, and a moment later, his foot vanished from sight.**_

"Sirius…" Molly growled dangerously, but didn1t move from her spot in Arthur's arms.

_"__**Harry — we've got to go for help —" Hermione gasped; she was bleeding too; the Willow had cut her across the shoulder.**_

_"__**No! That thing's big enough to eat him; we haven't got time —"**_

_"__**Harry — we're never going to get through without help —"**_

_**Another branch whipped down at them, twigs clenched like knuckles.**_

_"__**If that dog can get in, we can," Harry panted, darting here and there, trying to find a way through the vicious, swishing branches, but he couldn't get an inch nearer to the tree roots without being in range of the tree's blows.**_

_"__**Oh, help, help," Hermione whispered frantically, dancing uncertainly on the spot, "Please…"**_

_**Crookshanks darted forward. He slithered between the battering branches like a snake and placed his front paws upon a knot on the trunk.**_

"Smart cat." Peter said relaxing somewhat.

"Looks like Sirius had shown him how to freeze the tree." Lily said remembering what James had told her.

"You can freeze the Whooping Willow down like that." said many people in shock.

"Correct." Scorp answered.

"Well usually they always sent Wormy to do that job because his Animagus is the smallest under us four." Lily said smiling at Peter while Remus felt faint.

_**Abruptly, as though the tree had been turned to marble, it stopped moving. Not a leaf twitched or shook.**_

_"__**Crookshanks!" Hermione whispered uncertainly. She now grasped Harry's arm painfully hard. "How did he know —?"**_

_"__**He's friends with that dog," said Harry grimly. "I've seen them together. Come on — and keep your wand out —"**_

"Never go anywhere without your wand." Rudolphus stated to the two younger ones.

_**They covered the distance to the trunk in seconds, but before they had reached the gap in the roots, Crookshanks had slid into it with a flick of his bottlebrush tail. Harry went next; he crawled forward, headfirst, and slid down an earthy slope to the bottom of a very low tunnel.**_

_**Crookshanks was a little way along, his eyes flashing in the light from Harry's wand. Seconds later, Hermione slithered down beside him.**_

_"__**Where's Ron?" she whispered in a terrified voice.**_

_"__**This way," said Harry, setting off, bent-backed, after Crookshanks.**_

_"__**Where does this tunnel come out?" Hermione asked breathlessly from behind him.**_

"The Shrieking Shack." come the answer from those already knowing.

"Well then knowing what our dear Lupin here is and that the trouble maker quartet knew about this tunnel I would say we know that Britain's famous most haunted place is only a myth." Rosier stated in a mock depressed tone which amused a few people before Devona continued the sooner they get over it the better.

_**"I don't know… It's marked on the Marauder's Map but Fred and George said no one's ever gotten into it… It goes off the edge of the map, but it looked like it was heading for Hogsmeade…"**_

"This id why you should take your time to study the Map thoughtfully." Al commented.

"That reminds me you have added also places to it which aren't even near Hogwarts, how do you manage that?" Lily asked curiously, anything distracting from the worry was welcomed and seeing as the usual distractions were bound down she needed t take the initiative.

"The opening words are still the same, but we also say the name of the place." Scorpius explained.

"That is really great." Remus said with a forced smile.

_**They moved as fast as they could, bent almost double; ahead of them, Crookshanks's tail bobbed in and out of view. On and on went the passage; it felt at least as long as the one to Honeydukes… All Harry could think of was Ron and what the enormous dog might be doing to him… He was drawing breath in sharp, painful gasps, running at a crouch…**_

_**And then the tunnel began to rise; moments later it twisted, and Crookshanks had gone. Ahead Harry could see a patch of dim light through a small opening.**_

_**He and Hermione paused, gasping for breath, edging forward. Both raised their wands to see what lay beyond.**_

_**It was a room, a very disordered, dusty room. Paper was peeling from the walls; there were stains all over the floor; every piece of furniture was broken as though somebody had smashed it. The windows were all boarded up.**_

"Oh Remus." Lily gasped wit teary eyes as she hugged the boy.

"It is alright Lily, after a while I wasn't alone." Remus said softly, a bitter taste in his mouth.

_**Harry glanced at Hermione, who looked very frightened but nodded.**_

_**Harry pulled himself out of the hole, staring around. The room was deserted, but a door to their right stood open, leading to a shadowy hallway. Hermione suddenly grabbed Harry's arm again. Her wide eyes were traveling around the boarded windows.**_

_"__**Harry," she whispered, "I think we're in the Shrieking Shack."**_

_**Harry looked around. His eyes fell on a wooden chair near them. Large chunks had been torn out of it; one of the legs had been ripped off entirely.**_

Remus bowed his head while to everyone's faint amusement, well Ted was scowling at it, decided little Dora that she wanted to sit in Remus's lap and hug him.

_"__**Ghosts didn't do that," he said slowly.**_

"True, it was a werewolf." Remus said with a feint smile.

_**At **__**that moment, there was a creak overhead. Something had moved upstairs. Both of them looked up at the ceiling. Hermione's grip on Harry's arm was so tight he was losing feeling in his fingers. **_

"She tends to cling to him when scared." Al explained.

"Ah Lily also does that if she is really frightened." Alice said smirking.

"Am not." Lily huffed.

"Then why do I have your nail marks on my arm?" Alice asked while rolling up the sweeter arm she was wearing to reveal little still red half-moon marks glaring on her skin.

_**He raised his eyebrows at her; she nodded again and let go.**_

_**Quietly as they could, they crept out into the hall and up the crumbling staircase. Everything was covered in a thick layer of dust except the floor, where a wide shiny stripe had been made by something being dragged upstairs.**_

_**They reached the dark landing.**_

_"__**Nox," they whispered together, and the lights at the end of their wands went out. Only one door was open. As they crept toward it, they heard movement from behind it; a low moan, and then a deep, loud purring. They exchanged a last look, a last nod.**_

_**Wand held tightly before him, Harry kicked the door wide open.**_

_**On a magnificent four-poster bed with dusty hangings lay Crookshanks, purring loudly at the sight of them. On the floor beside him, clutching his leg, which stuck out at a strange angle, was Ron.**_

Both Molly and Arthur flinched at the mentioning of they son's leg. Both immediately grabbed for a chocolate bar eating it.

"Oh and for those by whom chocolate doesn't work anymore I have Calming Draught with me." Scorpius said surprising everyone. "I'm never without them out because of the temper of these two." he said while gesturing to his two friends.

_**Harry and Hermione dashed across to him.**_

_"__**Ron — are you okay?"**_

"Was that question meant as a joke?" Severus asked.

_"__**Where's the dog?"**_

_"__**Not a dog," Ron moaned. His teeth were gritted with pain. "Harry, it's a trap —"**_

_"__**What —"**_

_"__**He's the dog… he's an Animagus."**_

_**Ron was staring over Harry's shoulder. Harry wheeled around. With a snap, the man in the shadows closed the door behind them.**_

_**A mass of filthy, matted hair hung to his elbows. If eyes hadn't been shining out of the deep, dark sockets, he might have been a corpse. The waxy skin was stretched so tightly over the bones of his face, it looked like a skull. His yellow teeth were bared in a grin. It was Sirius Black.**_

"WHAT!" screamed the present Blacks except Sirius, but his eyes widened in terror at the image how he would look in the future.

"_That's it, I'm murdering all those who have sent you to Azkaban_." Bellatrix snarled in her thoughts.

_"__**Expelliarmus!" he croaked, pointing Ron's wand at them.**_

_**Harry's and Hermione's wands shot out of their hands, high in the air, and Black caught them. Then he took a step closer. His eyes were fixed on Harry.**_

_"__**I thought you'd come and help your friend," he said hoarsely.**_

_**His voice sounded as though he had long since lost the habit of using it. "Your father would have done the same for me. Brave of you not to run for a teacher. I'm grateful… it will make everything much easier…"**_

"Padfoot, this is soo easy to misunderstand." Remus moaned while staring down at his find's still magic bound body.

"Only Sirius could manage to word things like that in such a situation." Andromeda said while shaking her head.

"They are bound to think they suspicions confirmed by you." Lucius said.

_**The taunt about his father rang in Harry's ears as though Black had bellowed it.**_

"Oh Harry he wasn't taunting James, he only meant that in such a situation James would have also risked his life for him." Lily said while her eyes filled with tears again.

_**A boiling hate erupted in Harry's chest, leaving no place for fear. For the first time in his life, he wanted his wand back in his hand, not to defend himself, but to attack… to kill.**_

"HARRY!"

_**Without knowing what he was doing, he started forward, but there was a sudden movement on either side of him and two pairs of hands grabbed him and held him back…"No, Harry!" Hermione gasped in a petrified whisper; Ron, however, spoke to Black.**_

_"__**If you want to kill Harry, you'll have to kill us too!" he said fiercely, though the effort of standing upright was draining him of still more color, and he swayed slightly as he spoke.**_

_**Something flickered in Black's shadowed eyes.**_

"I think you have recognized yourself in him." Narcissa said softly as tears were streaming down her pale face.

_"__**Lie down," he said quietly to Ron. "You will damage that leg even more."**_

"This is a good advice, but I doubt that my son will listen." Arthur said with a feint smile.

_"__**Did you hear me?" Ron said weakly, though he was clinging painfully to Harry to stay upright. "You'll have to kill all three of us!"**_

_"__**There'll be only one murder here tonight," said Black, and his grin widened.**_

_"__**Why's that?" Harry spat, trying to wrench himself free of Ron, and Hermione. "Didn't care last time, did you? Didn't mind slaughtering all those Muggles to get at Pettigrew… What's the matter, gone soft in Azkaban?"**_

_"__**Harry!" Hermione whimpered. "Be quiet!"**_

_"__**HE KILLED MY MUM AND DAD!" Harry roared, and with a huge effort he broke free of Hermione's and Ron's restraint and lunged forward —**_

_**He had forgotten about magic — he had forgotten that he was short and skinny and thirteen, whereas Black was a tall, full-grown man — all Harry knew was that he wanted to hurt Black as badly as he could and that he didn't care how much he got hurt in return —**_

"Harry please no, don't do this." Lily said whining while Petunia hugged her close.

"Lily, it will probably be fine." she said o the crying girl.

_**Perhaps it was the shock of Harry doing something so stupid, but Black didn't raise the wands in time — one of Harry's hands fastened over his wasted wrist, forcing the wand tips away; the knuckles of Harry's other hand collided with the side of Black's head and they fell, backward, into the wall —**_

"He, punched him?" Sirius asked shocked, the only time Sirius got punched like that was by James after that incident.

"Yes he did."

_**Hermione was screaming; Ron was yelling; there was a blinding flash as the wands in Black's hand sent a jet of sparks into the air that missed Harry's face by inches;**_

_**Harry felt the shrunken arm under his fingers twisting madly, but he clung on, his other hand punching every part of Black it could find.**_

_**But Black's free hand had found Harry's throat**_

_"__**No," he hissed, "I've waited too long —"**_

_**The **__**fingers tightened, Harry choked, his glasses askew.**_

Everyone listened worriedly to the happenings inside the Shack.

"That wrenched place was witness to many tragedies." Devona muttered angrily, but no one asked when they saw the gazes her friends sent her. Lucius unconsciously took Severus's hand in to his making the blackhead look at the blonde worriedly.

_**Then he saw Hermione's foot swing out of nowhere. Black let go of Harry with a grunt of pain; Ron had thrown himself on Black's wand hand and Harry heard a faint clatter —**_

_**He fought free of the tangle of bodies and saw his own wand rolling across the floor; he threw himself toward it but**_

_"__**Argh!"**_

_**Crookshanks had joined the fray; both sets of front claws had sunk themselves deep into Harry's arm; Harry threw him off, but Crookshanks now darted toward Harry's wand —**_

_"__**NO YOU DON'T!" roared Harry, and he aimed a kick at Crookshanks that made the cat leap aside, spitting; Harry snatched up his wand and turned —**_

_"__**Get out of the way!" he shouted at Ron and Hermione.**_

_**They didn't need telling twice. Hermione, gasping for breath, her lip bleeding, scrambled aside, snatching up her and Ron's wands. Ron crawled to the four-poster and collapsed onto it, panting, his white face now tinged with green, both hands clutching his broken leg.**_

_**Black was sprawled at the bottom of the wall. His thin chest rose and fell rapidly as he watched Harry walking slowly nearer, his wand pointing straight at Black's heart.**_

_"__**Going to kill me, Harry?" he whispered.**_

_**Harry stopped right above him, his wand still pointing at Black's chest, looking down at him. A livid bruise was rising around Black's left eye and his nose was bleeding.**_

_"__**You killed my parents," said Harry, his voice shaking slightly, but his wand hand quite steady.**_

_**Black stared up at him out of those sunken eyes.**_

_"__**I don't deny it," he said very quietly. "But if you knew the whole story."**_

"Just about what the bloody hell are you talking about Black!" Severus snapped.

"Sirius we were told tat you are innocent, stop this idiocy that it is your fault." Lily yelled in annoyance.

"He is again showing his idiocy and again at the worst time." Narcissa groaned.

"Don't dare hurting my brother." Regulus growled.

_"__**The whole story?" Harry repeated, a furious pounding in his ears. "You sold them to Voldemort. That's all I need to know."**_

_"__**You've got to listen to me," Black said, and there was a note of urgency in his voice now. "You'll regret it if you don't… You don't understand…"**_

"If he is anything like Al then explaining wont be easy his temper is out." Scorpius said while shaking his head.

_"__**I understand a lot better than you think," said Harry, and his voice shook more than ever. "You never heard her, did you? My mum… trying to stop Voldemort killing me… and you did that… you did it…"**_

_**Before either of them could say another word, something ginger streaked past Harry; Crookshanks leapt onto Black's chest and settled himself there, right over Black's heart. Black blinked and looked down at the cat.**_

_"__**Get off," he murmured, trying to push Crookshanks off him.**_

_**But Crookshanks sank his claws into Black's robes and wouldn't shift. He turned his ugly, squashed face to Harry and looked up at him with those great yellow eyes. To his right, Hermione gave a dry sob.**_

"Wow, that cat is truly fond of you." Rosier said whistling.

_**Harry stared down at Black and Crookshanks, his grip tightening on the wand. So what if he had to kill the cat too?**_

Lily's sobs increased and even little Dora started to cry, she couldn't believe how her son could think in such a horrible way.

"I think this was one of those times when he acted like your cousin." Al whispered to Devona who nodded before continuing.

_**It was in league with Black… If it was prepared to die, trying to protect Black, that wasn't Harry's business… If Black wanted to save it, that only proved he cared more for Crookshanks than for Harry's parents…**_

_**Harry raised the wand. Now was the moment to do it. Now was the moment to avenge his mother and father. He was going to kill Black. He had to kill Black. This was his chance…**_

_**The seconds lengthened. And still Harry stood frozen there, wand poised, Black staring up at him, Crookshanks on his chest. Ron's ragged breathing came from near the bed; Hermione was quite silent.**_

_**And then came a new sound —**_

_**Muffled footsteps were echoing up through the floor — someone was moving downstairs.**_

_**"WE'RE UP HERE!" Hermione screamed suddenly. "WE'RE UP HERE — SIRIUS BLACK — QUICK!"**_

_**Black made a startled movement that almost dislodged Crookshanks; Harry gripped his wand convulsively — Do it now! said a voice in his head — **_

"And I got labeled by my brother as a dark wizard." Al muttered angrily.

"I wonder who come?" Severus asked curiously.

_**but the footsteps were thundering up the stairs and Harry still hadn't done it.**_

_**The door of the room burst open in a shower of red sparks and Harry wheeled around as Professor Lupin came hurtling into the room, **_

_**his face bloodless, his wand raised and ready. His eyes flickered over Ron, lying on the floor, over Hermione, cowering next to the door, to Harry, standing there with his wand covering Black, and then to Black himself, crumpled and bleeding at Harry's feet.**_

_"__**Expelliarmus!" Lupin shouted.**_

_**Harry's wand flew once more out of his hand; so did the two Hermione was holding. Lupin caught them all deftly, then moved into the room, staring at Black, who still had Crookshanks lying protectively across his chest.**_

_**Harry stood there, feeling suddenly empty. He hadn't done it. His nerve had failed him. Black was going to be handed back to the Dementors.**_

_**Then Lupin spoke, in a very tense voice.**_

_"__**Where is he, Sirius?"**_

"Who are you referring to Remus?" Peter asked curiously, but the other didn't meet his eyes, he couldn't look at him.

"Jemes, grand-uncle Sirius, grand-aunt Bllatrix, I will release you, but don't forget what stands in these books haven't happened only in the future so don't judge or attack others." Scorpius said fimly while flicking his wand."_Finite Inceratum." _

With those words was the curse lifted from the trio and while James went to comfort Lily was Sirius ugged by both Remus and his little brother.

_**Harry looked quickly at Lupin. He didn't understand what Lupin meant. Who was Lupin talking about? He turned to look at Black again.**_

_**Black's face was quite expressionless. For a few seconds, he didn't move at all. Then, very slowly, he raised his empty hand and pointed straight at Ron. Mystified, Harry glanced around at Ron, who looked bewildered.**_

_"__**But then…" Lupin muttered, staring at Black so intently it seemed he was trying to read his mind,**_

"Uhm…I doubt that I have leaned how to do that." Remus said when everyone stared at him.

_**"… why hasn't he shown himself before now? Unless" — Lupin's eyes suddenly widened, as though he was seeing something beyond Black, something none of the rest could see, "— unless he was the one… unless you switched… without telling me?"**_

"Hmm…true if they switched in seret and the new secret keeper was the traitor then it is understandable why Sirius means that he caused Lily's and Jame's deaths." Ted said in a thoughtfull tome.

"Yes, that must be it." said James while looking sadly at his brother, though he didn't understand Remus1s sudden cliginess.

_**Very slowly, his sunken gaze never leaving Lupin's face, Black nodded.**_

_"__**Professor," Harry interrupted loudly, "what's going on —?"**_

_**But he never finished the question, because what he saw made his voice die in his throat. Lupin was lowering his wand, gazing fixed at Black. The Professor walked to Black's side, seized his hand, pulled him to his feet so that Crookshanks fell to the floor, and embraced Black like a brother.**_

Everyone smiled saddly at the book.

"Atleast, I got one of my friends back after twelve years of loneliness." Remus whispered sadly while Sirius hugged him.

"I'm sorry Moony, that I wasn't threre for you." Sirius whispered back, he could practicularly feel Remus's wolf calling after his dog.

_**Harry felt as though the bottom had dropped out of his stomach.**_

_"__**I DON'T BELIEVE IT!" Hermione screamed.**_

_**Lupin let go of Black and turned to her. She had raised herself off the floor and was pointing at Lupin, wild-eyed. "You — you —"**_

_"__**Hermione —"**_

_"– __**you and him!"**_

_"__**Hermione, calm down —"**_

_"__**I didn't tell anyone!" Hermione shrieked. "I've been covering up for you —"**_

"So she knows then about my condition." Remus said smiling weakly, that girl was truly brilliant.

_"__**Hermione, listen to me, please" Lupin shouted. "I can explain —"**_

_**Harry could feel himself shaking, not with fear, but with a fresh wave of fury.**_

_"__**I trusted you," he shouted at Lupin, his voice wavering, out of control, "and all the time you've been his friend!"**_

_"__**You're wrong," said Lupin. "I haven't been Sirius's friend, but I am now — Let me explain…"**_

_"__**NO!" Hermione screamed. "Harry, don't trust him, he's been helping Black get into the castle, he wants you dead too — he's a werewolf!"**_

_**There was a ringing silence. Everyone's eyes were now on Lupin, who looked remarkably calm, though rather pale.**_

"I think over the years I got used to be called that and bside that did I have other things on my mind."

_"__**Not at all up to your usual standard, Hermione," he said. "Only one out of three, I'm afraid. I have not been helping Sirius get into the castle and I certainly don't want Harry dead." An odd shiver passed over his face. "But I won't deny that I am a werewolf."**_

_**Ron made a valiant effort to get up again but fell back with a whimper of pain. Lupin made toward him, looking concerned, but Ron gasped, "Get away from me, werewolf!"**_

"Something tells me that I sould work on a '_Ron Talk' _list." Aractus said as he heard the angry mutterings directed towards Ron.

_**Lupin stopped dead.**_

"Remus, we sincerely apologize for his behavior." Arthur said guiltily, while reading these books together he become fond of the young man even if he suffered fro such a terrible condition.

"Don't wory about that." he replied.

_**Then, with an obvious effort, he turned to Hermione and said, "How long have you known?"**_

_**"Ages," Hermione whispered. "Since I did Professor Snape's essay…"**_

_"__**He'll be delighted," said Lupin coolly. "He assigned that essay hoping someone would realize what my symptoms meant… Did you check the **__**lunar chart and realize that I was always ill at the full moon? Or did you realize that the Boggart changed into the moon when it saw me?"**_

"I think I already knew that atleast she would figure it out." Severus said.

"Certainly."

_"__**Both," Hermione said quietly.**_

_**Lupin forced a laugh.**_

_"__**You're the cleverest witch of your age I've ever met, Hermione."**_

_"__**I'm not," Hermione whispered. "If I'd been a bit cleverer, I'd have told everyone what you are!"**_

_"__**But they already know," said Lupin. "At least, the staff do."**_

_"__**Dumbledore hired you when he knew you were a werewolf," Ron gasped. "Is he mad?"**_

More growling could be heard and Flint grabbed a new empty parchment and started working ont hat new list and later he could even make numbers for everyone who wants to give him a piece of they'r mind.

_"__**Some of the staff thought so," said Lupin. "He had to work very hard to convince certain teachers that I'm trustworthy —"**_

_"__**AND HE WAS WRONG!" Harry yelled. "YOU'VE BEEN HELPING HIM ALL THE TIME!"**_

"Lily, your temper isn't helping matters there." Alice told her friend.

"Shut it Alie. Harry please listen to Remus atleast." she pleaded.

_**He was pointing at Black, who suddenly crossed to the four-poster bed and sank onto it, his face hidden in one shaking hand. Crookshanks leapt up beside him and stepped onto his lap, purring. Ron edged away from both of them, dragging his leg.**_

_"__**I have not been helping Sirius," said Lupin. "If you'll give me a chance, I'll explain. Look —"**_

_**He separated Harry's, Ron's and Hermione's wands and threw each back to its owner; Harry caught his, stunned.**_

_"__**There," said Lupin, sticking his own wand back into his belt "You're armed, we're not. Now will you listen?"**_

_**He was pointing at Black, who suddenly crossed to the four-poster bed and sank onto it, his face hidden in one shaking hand. Crookshanks leapt up beside him and stepped onto his lap, purring. Ron edged away from both of them, dragging his leg.**_

_"__**I have not been helping Sirius," said Lupin. "If you'll give me a chance, I'll explain. Look —"**_

_**He separated Harry's, Ron's and Hermione's wands and threw each back to its owner; Harry caught his, stunned.**_

_"__**There," said Lupin, sticking his own wand back into his belt "You're armed, we're not. Now will you listen?"**_

"Hopefully will this help."

_**Harry didn't know what to think. Was it a trick?**_

_"__**If you haven't been helping him," he said, with a furious glance at Black, "how did you know he was here?"**_

_"__**The map," said Lupin. "The Marauder's Map. I was in my office examining it —"**_

_"__**You know how to work it?" Harry said suspiciously.**_

_"__**Of course I know how to work it," said Lupin, waving his hand impatiently. "I helped write it. I'm Moony — that was my friends' nickname for me at school."**_

"That must have really shocked him." James said smiling.

_"__**You wrote —?"**_

_"__**The important thing is, I was watching it carefully this evening, because I had an idea that you, Ron, and Hermione might try and sneak out of the castle to visit Hagrid before his Hippogriff was executed. And I was right, wasn't I?"**_

_**He had started to pace up and down, looking at them. Little patches of dust rose at his feet.**_

_"__**You might have been wearing your father's old cloak, Harry—"**_

_"__**How d'you know about the cloak?"**_

_"__**The number of times I saw James disappearing under it…" said Lupin, waving an impatient hand again. **_

_"__**The point is, even if you're wearing an Invisibility Cloak, you still show up on the Marauder's Map. I watched you cross the grounds and enter Hagrid's hut. Twenty minutes later, you left Hagrid, and set off back toward the castle. But you were now accompanied by somebody else."**_

_"__**What?" said Harry. "No, we weren't!"**_

_"__**I couldn't believe my eyes," said Lupin, still pacing, and ignoring Harry's interruption. "I thought the map must be malfunctioning. How could he be with you?"**_

_"__**No one was with us!" said Harry.**_

_"__**And then I saw another dot, moving fast toward you, labeled Sirius Black… I saw him collide with you; I watched as he pulled two of you into the Whomping Willow —"**_

_"__**One of us!" Ron said angrily.**_

_"__**No, Ron," said Lupin. "Two of you."**_

_**He had stopped his pacing, his eyes moving over Ron.**_

_"__**Do you think I could have a look at the rat?" he said evenly.**_

_"__**What?" said Ron. "What's Scabbers got to do with it?"**_

The atmosphere become tense as both Severus and Lucius felt shock was over them from realisation.

_"__**Everything," said Lupin. "Could I see him, please?"**_

_**Ron hesitated, then put a hand inside his robes. Scabbers emerged, thrashing desperately; Ron had to seize his long bald tail to stop him escaping. Crookshanks stood up on Black's leg and made a soft hissing noise.**_

_**Lupin moved closer to Ron. He seemed to be holding his breath as he gazed intently at Scabbers.**_

_"__**What?" Ron said again, holding Scabbers close to him, looking scared. "What's my rat got to do with anything?"**_

_"__**That's not a rat," croaked Sirius Black suddenly.**_

_"__**What d'you mean — of course he's a rat —"**_

_"__**No, he's not," said Lupin quietly. "He's a wizard."**_

_"__**An Animagus," said Black, "by the name of Peter Pettigrew."**_

Devona finished the chapter and the room fell in to a deep silence as realization slowly dawned on eveyone.

_To be continued…_


	19. Broken bond, Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, a

XIX. Broken bond, _**Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs**_

* * *

The silence stretched even further with each passing second. No one knew what to say, Lily was shaking violently in James's arms whose eyes had widened in horror, Remus was still clinging to a deathly pale Sirius while the others were shock frozen.

The three professors exchanged sad glances with each other before looking over at Peter whose face was drained from all color, body shaking terribly wile tears were streaming out unnoticed from wide eyes. Casting a levitations charm over the book sent Devona it up to a shocked Phineas Nigellus who managed to snap out of it and understood why the book was there. _"Now I understand why they said to not judge before all books are done and just how dreadful things will come to light in them."_ The portrait taught as e looked sadly down to his descendant bearing his beloved brother's name. that boy may have chosen a different path then his family, but the name he carries still bound a little part of his care to him.

"Yo…you…YOU BLOODY TRAITOROUS RAT WERE THE ONE GIVING JAMES AND LILY TO VOLDEMORT!" Sirius finally snapped out from his shock, anger and sadness making him see red, but Remus held him in place with his inhuman strenght.

"PETER HOW COULD YOU!" James also snarled, angry tears making hi vision blurry. He couldn't believe it, one of his best friends gets him and Lily killed leaving they poor son by those wrenched Dursleys, making Sirius suffer innocently for twelve years in Azkaban and making Remus be consumed by loneliness.

"I…I…I…" Peter couldn't speak, this was a terrible nightmare. He loved his friends, why did he do such a horrible ting to them.

"You are so dead for this rat…" Bellatrix hissed, but as she tried to attack Peter she noticed that she couldn't move. "What?" she asked confused, but then looked with the others at the three professors.

"I think we told you that all these things hadn't happened so far and won't if you do something against them." Al said in a calm tone, years dealing with prejustice against Slytherins and those whose parents had been Death Eaters in the first or second war, werewolves and his own strong support for the first two by some of his relatives made him learn how to mask his emotions.

"But he was the…"

"I know what he did and as a side information many in this room will also not appear in the best light, but you have time to change the mistakes, by many these books will reveal they grounds for what they have by others can the way how you threat them after knowing they future decide if they chose a different path. Believe me Peter's betrayal is something terrible I know you remember, these books are about my father, but grudge against something in the future won't help it will only make things worse. The only good thing in this is that you got again a glimpse that your House doesn't decide for you it only puts you in to a stereotype category which is referred to your House this can cause late on problems when you try to live after those standards, but we won't go in there now. Take now deep breaths eat one or two chocolate bars and then take that Calming Draught if you feel that you will need it to sit through the book without attempting to physically harm Peter, in the meantime will Phineas read." Al said while giving everyone a last look before leaning back against the wall, wand still in hand.

"Uhm…wow…that was truly a speech…" Rosier said in a stunned tone.

"True, he always deled like that back then in our school years with everyone who badmouthed Slytherins, it certainly put a great impression on most of them." Devona said smiling at her friend.

"I can understand that." Lily said her tone slightly strained from the pain of betrayal, she accepted the Calming Draught gratefully.

After ten more minutes was everyone calmed down enough for them to start reading again.

"_**Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs"**_ Phineas read at which the four Marauders gave a forced smile, so Harry will now fully know about them thought they all wished to be in a different situation.

_**It took a few seconds for the absurdity of this statement to sink in. Then Ron voiced what Harry was thinking.**_

_**"You're both mental."**_

"No, only Sirius." Remus joked halfheartedly.

"No I'm not…" Sirius answered with a weak smile on his lips.

_"__**Ridiculous!" said Hermione faintly.**_

"Hermione, that spell only works by a Bogart." Andromeda said faintly, she was angry as to what was done against her cousin, but she also understood Al's words as she threw a sad smile to her two sisters. She feared for they future more then for her own.

_"__**Peter Pettigrew's dead!" said Harry. "He killed him twelve years ago!" He pointed at Black, whose face twitched convulsively.**_

_"__**I meant to," he growled, his yellow teeth bared, "but little Peter got the better of me… not this time, though!"**_

"A…are y…you going to kill him?" James asked his friend suddenly while Peter let out a miserable whimper, but his friends ignored him, they didn't trust themselves not to attack when looking at him.

"Well, I probably want to finally commit the crime for what I needed to sit." Sirius spat in disgust, his tone making Peter flinch, but he knew that he deserved it and honestly, he wanted to die.

"I…I…, it might be the effect of the Calming Draught, but I would not want you to become a murderer." James said in a sad tone.

"But you also would have wanted to be alive together with Lily and see your son growing up as a happy kid." the dog animagus retorted for which he didn't receive an immediate answer.

"But, Harry would have still you and Moony." come the silent answer.

_**And Crookshanks was thrown to the floor as Black lunged at Scabbers; Ron yelled with pain as Black's weight fell on his broken leg.**_

"Sirius, be a bit more careful with my son." Molly snapped.

"Uh…sorry." was Sirius's answer.

_"__**Sirius, NO!" Lupin yelled, launching himself forwards and dragging Black away from Ron again, "WAIT! You can't do it just like that — they need to understand — we've got to explain —"**_

"I think I had missed your voice of reason."

_"__**We can explain afterwards!" snarled Black, trying to throw Lupin off. **_

A few weak snickers could be heard at the image of Sirius trying to be stronger then an adult werewolf.

_**One hand was still clawing the air as it tried to reach Scabbers, who was squealing like a piglet, scratching Ron's face and neck as he tried to escape.**_

_"__**They've — got — a — right — to — know — everything!" Lupin panted, still trying to restrain Black. "Ron's kept him as a pet! There are parts of it even I don't understand, and Harry — you owe Harry the truth, Sirius!"**_

"Good, that will get me to be cooperative." Sirius said nodding.

_**Black stopped struggling, though his hollowed eyes were still fixed on Scabbers, who was clamped tightly under Ron's bitten, scratched, and bleeding hands.**_

_"__**All right, then," Black said, without taking his eyes off the rat. "Tell them whatever you like. But make it quick, Remus. I want to commit the murder I was imprisoned for…"**_

"Good thinking cousin."

"Bellatrix!" yelled her sisters.

"What, I only stated my option."

_"__**You're nutters, both of you," said Ron shakily, looking round at Harry and Hermione for support. "I've had enough of this. I'm off."**_

_**He tried to heave himself up on his good leg, but Lupin raised his wand again, pointing it at Scabbers.**_

_"__**You're going to hear me out, Ron," he said quietly. "Just keep a tight hold on Peter while you listen."**_

_"__**HE'S NOT PETER, HE'S SCABBERS!" Ron yelled, trying to force the rat back into his front pocket, but Scabbers was fighting too hard; Ron swayed and overbalanced, and Harry caught him am pushed him back down to the bed. Then, ignoring Black, Harry turned to Lupin.**_

_"__**There were witnesses who saw Pettigrew die," he said. "A whole street full of them…"**_

_"__**They didn't see what they thought they saw!" said Black savagely, still watching Scabbers struggling in Ron's hands.**_

_"__**Everyone thought Sirius killed Peter," said Lupin, nodding. "I believed it myself — until I saw the map tonight. Because the Marauder's map never lies… Peter's alive. Ron's holding him, Harry."**_

_**Harry looked down at Ron, and as their eyes met, they agreed, silently: Black and Lupin were both out of their minds.**_

"Harry, your godfather may be a nutter sometimes, but not Moony." James said in a scolding tone.

"Oi, I'm not a nutter and guys, stop staring at the ceiling when I'm speaking to you." Sirius said in annoyance at the childish behavior.

_**Their story made no sense whatsoever. How could Scabbers be Peter Pettigrew? Azkaban must have unhinged Black after all — but why was Lupin playing along with him?**_

_**Then Hermione spoke, in a trembling, would-be calm sort of voice, as though trying to will Professor Lupin to talk sensibly.**_

_"__**But Professor Lupin… Scabbers can't be Pettigrew… it just can't be true, you know it can't…"**_

_"__**Why can't it be true?" Lupin said calmly, as though they were in class, and Hermione had simply spotted a problem in an experiment with Grindylows.**_

"Ugh…it is so annoying when your friend does that." Alice said as many gazes landed on Lily, Remus, Severus and Devona.

_"__**Because… because people would know if Peter Pettigrew had been an Animagus. We did Animagi in class with Professor McGonagall. And I looked them up when I did my homework — the Ministry of Magic keeps tabs on witches and wizards who can become animals; there's a register showing what animal they become, and their markings and things… and I went and looked Professor McGonagall up on the register, and there have been only seven Animagi this century, and Pettigrew's name wasn't on the list."**_

_**Harry had barely had time to marvel inwardly at the effort**__**Hermione put into her homework, when Lupin started to laugh.**_

"Well, there are still the illegal ones." Frank said while looking at the Marauders.

"I'm hoping for you Albus Severus Potter that you ARE registered there." Lily said in a scolding tone while her green eyes were fixated on that of her grandson.

"Well I would be, but the Minister gave us three permission not to register, it can be useful if no one knows that we have this little skill." Al said smiling at his grandmother who huffed in annoyance.

_"__**Right again, Hermione!" he said. "But the Ministry never knew that here used to be three unregistered Animagi running around Hogwarts."**_

_"__**If you're going to tell them the story, get a move on, Remus,"**_

"As impatient as ever Padfoot." Remus stated.

_**said Black, who was still watching Scabbers's every desperate move. "I've waited twelve years, I'm not going to wait much longer."**_

_"__**All right… but you'll need to help me, Sirius," said Lupin, "I only know how it began…"**_

_**Lupin broke off. There had been a loud creak behind him. The bedroom door had opened of its own accord. All five of them stared at it. Then Lupin strode toward it and looked out into the landing.**_

"Huh…did someone come?"

_"__**No one there…"**_

_"__**This place is haunted!" said Ron.**_

"Ugh…strangely I have the unsettling feeling that leaving the cloak laying around AGAIN will cause some problems." James said with a hand on his face, the strange smile the three professors exchange hadn't also helped in a slight bit.

_"__**It's not," said Lupin, still looking at the door in a puzzled way. "The Shrieking Shack was never haunted… The screams and howls the villagers used to hear were made by me."**_

_**He pushed his graying hair out of his eyes, thought for a moment then said, "That's where all of this starts — with my becoming a werewolf. None of this could have happened if I hadn't been bitten… and if I hadn't been so foolhardy…"**_

_**He looked sober and tired. Ron started to interrupt, but Hermione, said, "Shh!" She was watching Lupin very intently.**_

"It is a good thing that she is there." Petunia said faintly after a long time.

"True, and it is a good thing for Ron that Bella isn't here anymore." Scorpius said flinching.

"Why…oh yes Remus is her grandfather right?" James asked.

"Yes and she is certainly protective for her family, but that is not a surprise she may not have inherited lycanthropy, but she still views her family as her pack together with the instincts coming with that feeling." Devona explained.

"In other words she would attack Ron for this." Frank said.

"Correct."

_"__**I was a very small boy when I received the bite. My parents tried everything, but in those days there was no cure. The potion that Professor Snape has been making for me is a very recent discovery. It makes me safe, you see. As long as I take it in the week, preceding the full moon, I keep my mind when I transform… I'm able to curl up in my office, a harmless wolf, and wait for the moon to wane again.**_

"Brilliant." said the Marauders together while Remus smiled happily at the thought before looking over to Severus and giving him a thankful smile.

"That is wonderful to hear Remus." Lily said as she and Narcissa hugged the boy while little Dora laughed. Ted only looked relieved that his daughter and rest of her family would be fine.

_"__**Before the Wolfsbane Potion was discovered, however, I became a fully fledged monster once a month. It seemed impossible that I would be able to come to Hogwarts. Other parents weren't likely to want their children exposed to me.**_

_"__**But then Dumbledore became Headmaster, and he was sympathetic. He said that as long as we took certain precautions, there was no reason I shouldn't come to school…" Lupin sighed, and looked directly at Harry. "I told you, months ago, that the Whomping Willow was planted the year I came to Hogwarts. The truth is that it was planted because I came to Hogwarts. This house" — Lupin looked miserably around the room, — "the tunnel that leads to it — they were built for my use. Once a month, I was smuggled out of the castle, into this place, to transform. The tree was placed at the tunnel mouth to stop anyone coming across me while I was dangerous."**_

_**Harry couldn't see where this story was going, but he was listening raptly all the same. The only sound apart from Lupin's voice was Scabbers's frightened squeaking.**_

_"__**My transformations in those days were — were terrible. It is very painful to turn into a werewolf. I was separated from humans to bite, so I bit and scratched myself instead. The villagers heard the noise and the screaming and thought they were hearing particularly violent spirits. Dumbledore encouraged the rumor… Even now, when the house has been silent for years, the villagers don't dare approach it…**_

_"__**But apart from my transformations, I was happier than I had ever been in my life. For the first time ever, I had friends, three great friends. Sirius Black… Peter Pettigrew… and, of course, your father, Harry — James Potter.**_

_"__**Now, my three friends could hardly fail to notice that I disappeared once a month. I made up all sorts of stories. I told them my mother was ill, and that I had to go home to see her… **_

"Of course we were bound to notice, your excuses were laughably lame most of the time." James said while rolling his eyes.

"As if later your idea with _"furry-little-problem"_ would have sounded oh so much better." Remus retorted, he hated always being asked why he was still keeping that unruly _"rabbit" _as a pet.

"Hey that was Padfoot's idea not mine." James defended.

"Why a I not surprised." Andromeda and Bellatrix said at the same time.

_**I was terrified they would desert me the moment they found out what I was. But of course, they, like you, Hermione, worked out the truth…**_

_"__**And they didn't desert me at all. Instead, they did something for me that would make my transformations not only bearable, but the best times of my life. They became Animagi."**_

_"__**My dad too?" said Harry, astounded.**_

"Of course, he was the second one while Sirius was the first." Remus said smiling.

"Who was the first by you?" Lily asked the trio curiously.

"That was Scorp then come Dev as second and I as the last, but seeing what my form is well there was no surprise." Al said smiling at the pleasant memory.

"Could you at least give us a hint what your Animagus form is?" Lucius asked, he really wanted to know.

"Fine, the form of my Animagus will appear in the fourth book." he said, this will hopefully make them getting faster through the book.

"Really? Great-granduncle Phineas start reading." Sirius said excitedly. It seemed as if they all started to calm down a little bit which was good.

_**"Yes, indeed," said Lupin. "It took them the best part of three years to work out how to do it. Your father and Sirius here were the cleverest students in the school,**_

"Thought only if they would use they brains for something other then pranks and mischief." Remus said as he watched Severus, Lucius, Lily, Frank, Alice, Narcissa, Bellatrix, Andromeda, Rudolphus and even Phineas holding they hearts.

_**and lucky they were, because the Animagus transformation can go horribly wrong — one reason the Ministry keeps a close watch on those attempting to do it. Peter needed all the help he could get from James and Sirius. Finally, in our fifth year, they managed it. They could each turn into a different animal at will."**_

_"__**But how did that help you?" said Hermione, sounding puzzled.**_

_"__**They couldn't keep me company as humans, so they kept me company as animals," said Lupin. "A werewolf is only a danger to people. They sneaked out of the castle every month under James's Invisibility Cloak. They transformed… Peter, as the smallest, could slip beneath the Willow's attacking branches and touch the knot that freezes it. They would then slip down the tunnel and join me. Under their influence, I became less dangerous. My body was still wolfish, but my mind seemed to become less so while I was with them."**_

_"__**Hurry up, Remus," snarled Black, who was still watching Scabbers with a horrible sort of hunger on his face.**_

_"__**I'm getting there, Sirius, I'm getting there… well, highly exciting possibilities were open to us now that we could all transform. Soon we were leaving the Shrieking Shack and roaming the school grounds and the village by night. **_

"YOU DID WHAT!" screamed most occupants of the room as they rounded on the cowering Marauders.

_**Sirius and James transformed into such large animals, they were able to keep a werewolf in check. I doubt whether any Hogwarts students ever found out more about the Hogwarts grounds and Hogsmeade than we did… And that's how we came to write the Marauder's Map, and sign it with our nicknames. Sirius is Padfoot. Peter is Wormtail. James was Prongs."**_

_"__**What sort of animal —?" Harry began, but Hermione cut him off. "That was still really dangerous! Running around in the dark with a werewolf! What if you'd given the others the slip, and bitten somebody?"**_

The four troublemakers had the grace to look guiltily at the ground by the dark gazes which were set on them again for being so foolish.

_"__**A thought that still haunts me," said Lupin heavily.**_

"Sorry Remus." replied the trio guiltily.

_**"And there were near misses, many of them. We laughed about them afterwards. We were young, thoughtless — carried away with our own cleverness.**_

_"__**I sometimes felt guilty about betraying Dumbledore's trust, of course… he had admitted me to Hogwarts when no other headmaster would have done so, and he had no idea I was breaking the rules he had set down for my own and others' safety. He never knew I had led three fellow students into becoming Animagi illegally. But I always managed to forget my guilty feelings every time we sat down to plan our next month's adventure. And I haven't changed…"**_

_**Lupin's face had hardened, and there was self-disgust in his voice. "All this year, I have been battling with myself, wondering whether I should tell Dumbledore that Sirius was an Animagus. But I didn't do it. Why? Because I was too cowardly. It would have meant admitting that I'd betrayed his trust while I was at school, admitting that I'd led others along with me… and Dumbledore's trust has meant everything to me. He let me into Hogwarts as a boy, and he gave me a job when I have been shunned all my adult life, unable to find paid work because of what I am. And so I convinced myself that Sirius was getting into the school using dark arts he learned from Voldemort, that being an Animagus had nothing to do**__** with it… so, in a way, Snape's **__**been right about me all along."**_

Severus opened his mouth to speak, but Remus interrupted him with an apologetic smile on his lips.

"I think I'm also referring to that time when I didn't do anything against the harsher pranks James and Sirius plaid for you. I hung so strongly to they friendship that I turned a blind eye on they doings and they effect on you." Remus said softly.

"It is fine, we are trying to change here so I will try to forget and eventually forgive." Severus said returning Remus1s little smile.

"You know I think my father was just like that with uncle Ron." Al whispered to his friends sadly.

"Yes, I still wonder how things would have turned out if my father made a better first impression on yours and they would have become friends." Scorpius said, his father often wondered about this also.

_"__**Snape?" said Black harshly, taking his eyes off Scabbers; for the first time in minutes and looking up at Lupin. "What's Snape got to do with it?"**_

Sirius flinched at the icy glare flashed in his direction by Lucius.

_"__**He's here, Sirius," said Lupin heavily. "He's teaching here as well." He looked up at Harry, Ron, and Hermione.**_

_"__**Professor Snape was at school with us. He fought very hard against my appointment to the Defense Against the Dark Arts job. He has been telling Dumbledore all year that I am not to be trusted. He has his reasons… you see, Sirius here played a trick on him which nearly killed him, a trick which involved me —"**_

Sirius flinched again from the glares he recieved while looking guiltily at Remus who was stareing at the groung probably again imagining what would have happened wouldn't James have interfered.

_**Black made a derisive noise.**_

_"__**It served him right," he sneered. "Sneaking around, trying to find out what we were up to… hoping he could get us expelled…"**_

"SIRIUS/BLACK!" come many angered scrams and said boy found himself suddenly dressed in a pretty skimpy pink dress with matching high heels, his hair in two curly pigtails colored in the color patterns of the four Hogwarts Houses, blue lipstick, red blush and a pair of fluffy white bunny ears on his head.

"Hey! I haven't even said those words yet!" Sirius yelled in dismay while everyone was rolling on the floor laughing for the next twenty minutes before Phineas started reading again.

_"__**Severus was very interested in where I went every month." Lupin told Harry, Ron, and Hermione. "We were in the same year, you know, and we — er — didn't like each other very much. He especially disliked James. Jealous, I think, of James's talent on the Quidditch field…**_

"You know that I actually had nothing against you only the fact that you always hung out with those two, "at this Severus gestured to both James and Sirius "and I mostly wanted to know because you always looked so miserable after those disappearances and you had all those scratch marks. Beside that I would be never jealous at Potter for his Quidditch talent I could perfectly well hold my own after I finally learned it properly." Severus said and Remus felt a bit touched that the other had been actually worried about him, Sirius and James on the other hand exchanged again guilty expressions.

_**anyway Snape had seen me crossing the grounds with Madam Pomfrey one evening as she led me toward the Whomping Willow to transform. Sirius thought it would be — er — amusing,**_

a new round of dark looks were thrown in Sirius's directions together with the occasional mutter of _"Oh yes because murderer is soo amusing"_ mixed I to it.

_**to tell Snape all he had to do was prod the knot on the tree trunk with a long stick, and he'd be able to get in after me. Well, of course, Snape tried it — if he'd got as far as this house, he'd have met a fully grown werewolf — but your father, who'd heard what Sirius had done, went after Snape and pulled him back, at great risk to his life… Snape glimpsed me, though, at the end of the tunnel. He was forbidden by Dumbledore to tell anybody, but from that time on he knew what I was…"**_

_"__**So that's why Snape doesn't like you," said Harry slowly, "because he thought you were in on the joke?"**_

"That's right." Severus answered.

_"__**That's right," sneered a cold voice from the wall behind Lupin.**_

"Uh oh…"

"Ugh…I knew something would happen when they leave the cloak behind." James moaned while the others groaned.

_**Severus Snape was pulling off the Invisibility Cloak, his wand pointing directly at Lupin.**_

"And this is the end of the chapter." Phineas said as the book floated back down to Devona.

"What a lovely end…" Sirius said groaning.

"I doubt that wit you there I will listen to what everyone has to say." Severus said while shaking his head.

"You tell me, knowing myself we are lucky if Remus manages to stop me before I start insulting you again." Sirius said.

"I think we should continue." Arthur said as he picked up the book.

"Arthur is right we should continue." Lily said nodding.

"True, hopefully will this book soon end and then…when is he fourth book coming actually?" asked James while looking questioningly at the trio.

"We have it already with us so you can start right away after finishing with the third." Scorpius replied while everyone nodded.

"Arthur please start reading." Molly said to her boyfriend who nodded.

_To be continued…_


	20. Bitterness, The Servant of Lord Voldemor

XX. Bitterness, _**The Servant of Lord Voldemort**_

* * *

Looking down at the title felt Arthur himself gulp, he of course also understood what his grandson meant and there was nothing which made him distrust his decision. Yes it hurt to hear about such a harsh betrayal mostly if it was a fiend, a fellow Griffindor. At this Arthur suddenly halted his thoughts, why couldn't a Griffindor act like this? Was it really true that they viewed every persons personality so that it matched they House? He would need to think about this later, but if it is true hen he must start seeing things as they truly are. He meant they found out that Lucius Malfoy would certainly become a Death Eater, but the young man sitting here with them didn't act like one at all as were the other Slytherins here also toleratable actually.

"_**The Servant of Lord Voldemort"**_ he finally read at which Peter whimpered while the others stared darkly at the ground.

"Keep on." Al said gesturing with his hand.

_**Hermione screamed. Black leapt to his feet. Harry felt as though he'd received a huge electric shock.**_

"So delighting to hear that I made such a great impression with my appearance." Severus sneered sarcastically while Lucius chuckled beside him.

_"__**I found this at the base of the Whomping Willow," said Snape, throwing the cloak aside, careful to keep this wand pointing directly at Lupin's chest. "Very useful, Potter, I thank you…"**_

"Harry, why again…" James whined.

_**Snape was slightly breathless, but his face was full of suppressed triumph. "You're wondering, perhaps, how I knew you were here?" he said, his eyes glittering. "I've just been to your office, Lupin. You forgot to take your potion tonight, so I took a gobletful along. And very lucky I did… lucky for me, I mean. Lying on your desk was a certain map. One glance at it told me all I needed to know. I saw you running along this passageway and out of sight."**_

"Great, I left the Map unsealed." Remus said groaning.

"Wait, you didn't take your potion, but what if it is a…" Lily suddenly trailed of as everyone's eyes widened in shock.

"Oh no!" they all groaned.

"Uh…and also hank you Severus that you tried looking after me." Remus whispered to he blackhead.

"No problem."

_"__**Severus —" **_

"I think my future self just loved to hear that you call him by his first name." Sirius said in an attempt to lighten the mode.

"Remus, I doubt that talking to me does much at the given situation." Severus said.

"I think I know, but it was probably worth a try." Remus replied.

_**Lupin began, but Snape overrode him.**_

_"__**I've told the headmaster again and again that you're helping your old friend Black into the castle, Lupin, and here's the proof. Not even I dreamed you would have the nerve to use this old place as your hideout —"**_

_"__**Severus, you're making a mistake," said Lupin urgently. "You haven't heard everything — I can explain — Sirius is not here to kill Harry —"**_

_"__**Two more for Azkaban tonight," said Snape, his eyes now gleaming fanatically. "I shall be interested to see how Dumbledore takes this… He was quite convinced you were harmless, you know, Lupin… a tame werewolf —"**_

_"__**You fool," said Lupin softly. "Is a schoolboy grudge worth putting an innocent man back inside Azkaban?"**_

"Ugh…not the best topic to bring up…idiot." Remus scolded himself.

_**BANG! Thin, snakelike cords burst from the end of Snape's wand and twisted themselves around Lupin's mouth, wrists, and ankles; he overbalanced and fell to the floor, unable to move. **_

"I'm not eternally happy about what you did with Remus, but that is one impressive spell you have used there." James said in an awed tone.

"And it is pretty handy also." Severus said while Lucius began grumbling beside him.

"Seeing his reactions I would say that Lucius was some times at the receiving end of that spell." Frank said in an amused tone at which Aractus, Rosier and Narcissa broke out laughing.

"You would be surprised how often we saw Severus drag Lucius like that down the stairs." Aractus said chuckling at which everyone broke out laughing.

"After everyone is done laughing at my expenses could we start reading again?" Lucius asked slowly growing annoyed from the laughter.

_**With a roar of rage, Black started toward Snape, but Snape pointed his wand straight between Black's eyes.**_

_"__**Give me a reason," he whispered. "Give me a reason to do it, and I swear I will."**_

"And I don't even doubt that you would." Sirius said.

"But it shows great self control that you haven1t hexed him already in to oblivion." Arthur said to Severus before continuing reading.

_**Black stopped dead. It would have been impossible to say which face showed more hatred.**_

At this many people started chuckling again.

"I would say it was probably a tie." James said in an amused tone.

_**Harry stood there, paralyzed, not knowing what to do or whom to believe. He glanced around at Ron and Hermione. Ron looked just as confused as he did, still fighting to keep hold on the struggling Scabbers. Hermione, however, took an uncertain step toward Snape and said, in a very breathless voice, "Professor Snape — it wouldn't hurt to hear what they've got to say, w-would it?"**_

"She has guts to walk up to Severus when he is furious, but it won't be any use." Lucius said while shaking his head while both Al and Scorpius nodded in understanding.

_"__**Miss Granger, you are already facing suspension from this school," Snape spat. "You, Potter, and Weasley are out-of-bounds, in the company of a convicted murderer and a werewolf. For once in your life, hold your tongue."**_

"You were asking the impossible." Scorpius said smirking, he had tried that by Rose, it didn't work.

_"__**But if — if there was a mistake —"**_

_"__**KEEP QUIET, YOU STUPID GIRL!" Snape shouted, looking suddenly quite deranged. "DON'T TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!" **_

"Arthur, read with feeling, shout if someone shouts in the book." Sirius said.

_**A few sparks shot out of the end of his wand, which was still pointed at Black's face. Hermione fell silent.**_

_"__**Vengeance is very sweet," Snape breathed at Black. "How I hoped I would be the one to catch you…"**_

_"__**The joke's on you again, Severus," Black snarled. **_

At this stared everyone blinking at the book.

"Black, did you just use my first name in that book?" Severus asked in shock.

"I think I haven1t even realized that fact." replied Sirius also stunned.

"You tell me I was sure that Sirius didn't even know your first name." Remus added in.

_"__**As long as this boy brings his rat up to the castle" — he jerked his head at Ron — "I'll come quietly…"**_

_"__**Up to the castle?" said Snape silkily. "I don't think we need to go that far. All I have to do is call the Dementors once we get out of the Willow. They'll be very pleased to see you, Black… pleased enough to give you a little kiss, I daresay… I —"**_

_**What little color there was in Black's face left it.**_

_"__**You — you've got to hear me out," he croaked. "The rat — look at the rat —"**_

"You know that you acting civil with me comes a few decades to late, you realize that." Severus said to Sirius with a raised eyebrow.

"I think I can understand why you are so angry." Lily said suddenly in a sad voice. "You are fully convinced that Sirius was the cause for my death and added to it our school years you won't listen to anyone." she finished with a sad smile on her lips.

_**But there was a mad glint in Snape's eyes that Harry had never seen before. He seemed beyond reason.**_

"Told you."

_"__**Come on, all of you," he said. He clicked his fingers, and the ends of the cords that bound Lupin flew to his hands. "I'll drag the werewolf. Perhaps the Dementors will have a kiss for him too —"**_

_**Before he knew what he was doing, Harry had crossed the room in three strides and blocked the door.**_

_"__**Get out of the way, Potter, you're in enough trouble already," snarled Snape. "If I hadn't been here to save your skin —"**_

_"__**Professor Lupin could have killed me about a hundred times this year," Harry said. "I've been alone with him loads of times, having defense lessons against the Dementors. If he was helping Black, why didn't he just finish me off then?"**_

_"__**Don't ask me to fathom the way a werewolf's mind works," hissed Snape. "Get out of the way, Potter."**_

_"__**YOU'RE PATHETIC!" Harry yelled. "JUST BECAUSE THEY MADE A FOOL OF YOU AT SCHOOL YOU WON'T EVEN LISTEN —"**_

"Arthur I told you to shout." Sirius said firmly.

"Harry, this is not a good idea…" groaned most of the others.

_**"SILENCE! I WILL NOT BE SPOKEN TO LIKE THAT!" Snape shrieked, looking madder than ever. "Like father, like son, Potter! I have just saved your neck; you should be thanking me on bended knee! You would have been well served if he'd killed you! You'd have died like your father, too arrogant to believe you might be mistaken in Black — now get out of the way, or I will make you. GET OUT OF THE WAY, POTTER!"**_

_**Harry made up his mind in a split second. Before Snape could take even one step toward him, he had raised his wand.**_

"Harry!" James yelled in panic, sure he was proud about his son for standing up for his godfather, but hexing a teacher leave alone one who already disliked him because of James being his father was near suicide.

_"__**Expelliarmus!" he yelled — except that his wasn't the only voice that shouted. There was a blast that made the door rattle on its hinges; Snape was lifted off his feet and slammed into the wall, then slid down it to the floor, a trickle of blood oozing from under his hair. He had been knocked out.**_

"We are sorry." spoke the four future parents hurriedly to Severus and Devona while the former tried to stop Lucius's angry muttering.

"I think they could have easily managed to form a Triumvirate Bound wit each other." Al whispered to his friends.

"Thought be happy they didn't, according to that what I read about this would have your uncle's little walking out session caused pretty bad things for your father and aunt." Devona explained.

"Can you tell us that tonight?" Scorpius asked at which the other nodded.

_**Harry looked around. Both Ron and Hermione had tried to disarm Snape at exactly the same moment. Snape's wand soared in a high arc and landed on the bed next to Crookshanks.**_

_"__**You shouldn't have done that," said Black, looking at Harry. **_

"Are you just trying to be a responsible adult?" Remus asked his friend shocked.

"How should I know?"

_**"You should have left him to me…"**_

"Which would have probably left the both of you knocked out."

_**Harry avoided Black's eyes. He wasn't sure, even now, that he'd done the right thing.**_

_"__**We attacked a teacher… We attacked a teacher…" Hermione whimpered, staring at the lifeless Snape with frightened eyes. "Oh, we're going to be in so much trouble —"**_

"Not with Dumbledore there, but they dropped pretty much lower on my father's list for people he could stand."

_**Lupin was struggling against his bonds. Black bent down quickly and untied him. Lupin straightened up, rubbing his arms where the ropes had cut into them.**_

_"__**Thank you, Harry," he said.**_

_"__**I'm still not saying I believe you," he told Lupin.**_

_"__**Then it's time we offered you some proof," said Lupin. "You, boy — give me Peter, please. Now."**_

The mood in the room dropped again.

_**Ron clutched Scabbers closer to his chest.**_

_"__**Come off it," he said weakly. "Are you trying to say he broke out of Azkaban just to get his hands on Scabbers? I mean…" He looked up at Harry and Hermione for support, "Okay, say Pettigrew could turn into a rat — there are millions of rats — how's he supposed to know which one he is after if he was locked up in Azkaban?"**_

"Wow, uncle Ron's rarely used brain is awake again." Al said.

"You two really don1t get along." Arthur said while looking at his grandson.

"Well, I had an in a way better relationship with him till he found out that Scorpius and Devona are my friends and later it become worse after Rose become friends with Willow as you know she is Dolohov's daughter and her current boyfriend Darien Zabini who were with her in Ravenclaw." he explained while Arthur nodded, he will need sometime getting used to everything.

_"__**You know, Sirius, that's a fair question," said Lupin, turning to Black and frowning slightly.**_

_"__**How did you find out where he was?"**_

_**Black put one of his claw-like hands**_

Everyone flinched while Sirius let out a whimper and muttered something about his destroyed beautiful looks.

_**inside his robes and took out a crumpled piece of paper, which he smoothed flat and held out to show the others.**_

_**It was the photograph of Ron and his family that had appeared in the Daily Prophet the previous summer, and there, on Ron's shoulder, was Scabbers.**_

_"__**How did you get this?" Lupin asked Black, thunderstruck.**_

"We can understand, I doubt you get the Prophet delivered to you in to Azkaban." James said stunted.

_"__**Fudge," said Black. "When he came to inspect Azkaban last year, he gave me his paper. And there was Peter, on the front page on this boy's shoulder… I knew him at once… how many times had I seen him transform? And the caption said the boy would be going back to Hogwarts… to where Harry was…"**_

_**"My God," said Lupin softly, staring from Scabbers to the picture in the paper and back again. "His front paw…"**_

_"__**What about it?" said Ron defiantly.**_

_"__**He's got a toe missing," said Black.**_

_"__**Of course," Lupin breathed. "So simple… so brilliant… he cut it off himself?"**_

_"__**Just before he transformed," said Black. "When I cornered him, he yelled for the whole street to hear that I'd betrayed Lily and James. Then, before I could curse him, he blew apart the street with the wand behind his back, killed everyone within twenty feet of himself — and sped down into the sewer with the other rats…"**_

Peter broke out in to painful sobs, he couldn1t understand how he had become so cruel as to betray his friends and murder innocent people. The others meanwhile were torn between anger and sadness.

"Alright." Scorpius said finally making everyone stare at him "Because we will need most of the Calming Draught later on we will set you up a puppet up outside to venture your anger on." he said while standing up and be followed outside by everyone except Al, Devona, Petunia and Peter who was still sobbing and Albus went to calm him.

Everyone returned twenty minutes later looking much calmer then before and they could resume reading.

_"__**Didn't you ever hear, Ron?" said Lupin. "The biggest bit of Peter they found was his finger."**_

_"__**Look, Scabbers probably had a fight with another rat or something! He's been in my family for ages, right —"**_

_"__**Twelve years, in fact," said Lupin. "Didn't you ever wonder why he was living so long?"**_

_"__**We — we've been taking good care of him!" said Ron.**_

"Sorry, but even then live most animals only two or three years longer." Frank said.

_"__**Not looking too good at the moment, though, is he?" said Lupin. "I'd guess he's been losing weight ever since he heard Sirius was on the loose again…"**_

_"__**He's been scared of that mad cat!" said Ron, nodding toward Crookshanks, who was still purring on the bed.**_

_**But that wasn't right, Harry thought suddenly… Scabbers had been looking ill before he met Crookshanks… ever since Ron's return from Egypt… since the time when Black had escaped…**_

_"__**This cat isn't mad," said Black hoarsely.**_

"Wow, I never knew that I would see the day when Sirius is defending a cat." James said laughing while his friend pouted.

"I'm personally happy that he now sees that cats have some value to them." Narcissa said smiling.

_**He reached out a bony hand and stroked Crookshanks's fluffy head. "He's the most intelligent of his kind I've ever met. He recognized Peter for what he was right away. And when he met me, he knew I was no dog. It was a while before he trusted me… Finally, I managed to communicate to him what I was after, and he's been helping me…"**_

_"__**What do you mean?" breathed Hermione.**_

_"__**He tried to bring Peter to me, but couldn't… so he stole the passwords into Gryffindor Tower for me… As I understand it, he took them from a boy's bedside table…"**_

"Wow, I may really start liking that cat, maybe we could go visit Diagon Alley and see if he is in that store." Sirius said before noticing the dark glares Alice and Frank sent him "Uh…sorry that your son got into trouble because of me." he said.

"Sirius, if you want I can send my Patronus to your parents and tell them to get him for you." Al offered at which Sirius accepted and the silver snake was already off.

"You know that I just realized that your Patrons is the same as Devona's animagus form." Alice stated while smiling slyly at the two professors.

"You know that we are married to different people right?" Devona asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Don't worry about that Alice, actually many people were sure about it that these two had a thing for each other in our school years, but they actually had more like a pretty strong sibling like bond." Scorpius explained.

"True, while Scorpius here is my best friend and I trust him fully is Devona you could say my support. She is always there to help me if I'm in trouble and always has the answers if I find myself lost." Al said while smiling warmly at his friends who returned the smile.

"It is nice to hear that you have such a strong bond." Lily said happily.

"_You have no idea_." the three thought smiling.

_**Harry's brain seemed to be sagging under the weight of what he was hearing. It was absurd… and yet…**_

_"__**But Peter got wind of what was going on and ran for it." croaked Black. "This cat — Crookshanks, did you call him? — told me Peter had left blood on the sheets… **_

_**I supposed he bit himself… Well, faking his own death had worked once."**_

Peter whimpered again and his friends started to feel at least slightly sorry for him.

_**These words jolted Harry to his senses.**_

_"__**And why did he fake his death?" he said furiously. "Because he knew you were about to kill him like you killed my parents!"**_

_"__**No," said Lupin, "Harry—"**_

_"__**And now you've come to finish him off!"**_

_"__**Yes, I have," said Black, with an evil look at Scabbers.**_

_"__**Then I should've let Snape take you!" Harry shouted.**_

_"__**Harry," said Lupin hurriedly, "don't you see? All this time we've thought Sirius betrayed your parents, and Peter tracked him down — but it was the other way around, don't you see? Peter betrayed your mother and father — Sirius tracked Peter down —"**_

_"__**THAT'S NOT TRUE!" Harry yelled. "HE WAS THEIR SECRET-KEEPER! HE SAID SO BEFORE YOU TURNED UP. HE SAID HE KILLED THEM!"**_

_**He was pointing at Black, who shook his head slowly; the sunken eyes were suddenly over bright.**_

_**"Harry… I as good as killed them," he croaked. "I persuaded Lily and James to change to Peter at the last moment, persuaded them to use him as Secret-Keeper instead of me…**_

"You are such an idiot." said James and Lily together as they wacked Sirius on the head closely followed by Remus and the Black sisters.

"Oi, ouch…what is it, hit Sirius day?" he asked while rubbing his sore head.

_**I'm to blame, I know it… The night they died, I'd arranged to check on Peter, make sure he was still safe, but when I arrived at his hiding place, he'd gone. Yet there was no sign of a struggle. It didn't feel right. I was scared. I set out for your parents' house straight away. And when I saw their house,**_

_**destroyed, and their bodies… I realized what Peter must've done… what I'd done…"**_

_**His voice broke. He turned away.**_

_"__**Enough of this," said Lupin, and there was a steely note in his voice Harry had never heard before. **_

"Thanks Moony." Sirius said with a feint smile.

"Any time Padfoot."

_"__**There's one certain way to prove what really happened. Ron, give me that rat."**_

_"__**What are you going to do with him if I give him to you?" Ron asked Lupin tensely.**_

_"__**Force him to show himself," said Lupin. "If he really is a rat, it won't hurt him."**_

_**Ron hesitated. Then at long last, he held out Scabbers and Lupin took him. Scabbers began to squeak without stopping, twisting and turning, his tiny black eyes bulging in his head. "Ready, Sirius?" said Lupin.**_

_**Black had already retrieved Snape's wand from the bed. He approached Lupin and the struggling rat, and his wet eyes suddenly seemed to be burning in his face.**_

_"__**Together?" he said quietly.**_

_"__**I think so", said Lupin, holding Scabbers tightly in one hand and his wand in the other. "On the count of three. One — two — THREE!"**_

_**A flash of blue-white light erupted from both wands; for a moment, Scabbers was frozen in midair, his small gray form twisting madly — Ron yelled — the rat fell and hit the floor. There was another blinding flash of light and then —**_

"An Animagus revealing charm pretty good idea." Frank said.

_**It was like watching a speeded-up film of a growing tree. A head was shooting upward from the ground; limbs were sprouting; a moment later, a man was standing where Scabbers had been, cringing and wringing his hands.**_

"Ugh…I could have done without that spell description…" Alice said shuddering while most of the girls nodded in agreement.

_**Crookshanks was spitting and snarling on the bed; the hair on his back was standing up.**_

_**He was a very short man, hardly taller than Harry and Hermione.**_

Even thought it was painful to hear about a friend's betrayal still the sentence made everyone break out laughing in amusement.

"So…sorry Wormy…but…but that is hilarious…" James managed to say between fits of laughter.

"T…tahat…is…priceless…" Sirius laughed with tears glistering at the corner of his eyes.

_**His thin, colorless hair was unkempt and there was a large bald patch on top.**_

More laughter filled the room.

_**He had the shrunken appearance of a plump man who has lost a lot of weight in a short time. His skin looked grubby, almost like Scabbers's fur, and something of the rat lingered around his pointed nose and his very small, watery eyes. He looked around at them all, his breathing fast and shallow. Harry saw his eyes dart to the door and back again.**_

_"__**Well, hello, Peter," said Lupin pleasantly, as though rats frequently erupted into old school friends around him.**_

"Well in my case yes." Remus said smiling after getting himself under control again.

_"__**Long time, no see."**_

_"__**S—Sirius… R—Remus…" Even Pettigrew's voice was squeaky. Again, his eyes darted toward the door. "My friends… my old friends…"**_

"Not going to work." everyone said solemnly while Peter let his head drop only to look up in shock when he saw James sitting beside him.

"These books are here to show us what needs to be changed, you will never become that person." he said firmly to the teary eyed boy.

"Re…really Ja…James…" Peter squeaked at which the other nodded.

_**Black's wand arm rose, but Lupin seized him around the wrist, gave him a warning look, **_

"Wow, I will finally get through to him." Remus said shocked while Sirius pouted.

_**then turned again to Pettigrew, his voice light and casual.**_

_"__**We've been having a little chat, Peter, about what happened the night Lily and James died. You might have missed the finer points while you were squeaking around down there on the bed —"**_

Everyone snickered at Remus's words.

"Both Bella and Teddy definitely got this from him." Scorpius whispered amusedly.

_"__**Remus," gasped Pettigrew, and Harry could see beads of sweat breaking out over his pasty face, "you don't believe him, do you…? He tried to kill me, Remus…"**_

_"__**So we've heard," said Lupin, more coldly. "I'd like to clear up one or two little matters with you, Peter, if you'll be so —"**_

_"__**He's come to try and kill me again!" Pettigrew squeaked suddenly, pointing at Black, and Harry saw that he used his middle finger, because his index was missing. "He killed Lily and James and now he's going to kill me too… You've got to help me, Remus…"**_

Sirius let out a little growl, yes they will change Peter's future and he was still they friend, but that didn't mean he needed to like book-Peter.

_**Black's face looked more skull-like than ever**_

Sirius moaned again at this, his looks were definitely down the drain.

_**as he stared at Pettigrew with his fathomless eyes.**_

_"__**No one's going to try and kill you until we've sorted a few things out," said Lupin.**_

_"__**Sorted things out?" squealed Pettigrew, looking wildly about him once more, eyes taking in the boarded windows and, again, the only door. "I knew he'd come after me! I knew he'd be back for me! I've been waiting for this for twelve years!"**_

_"__**You knew Sirius was going to break out of Azkaban?" said Lupin, his brow furrowed. "When nobody has ever done it before?"**_

_"__**He's got dark powers the rest of us can only dream of!" Pettigrew shouted shrilly. "How else did he get out of there? I suppose He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named taught him a few tricks!"**_

"Doubt it, he is not that kind of person to feely share his knowledge with anyone. You could say he has a little complex in that department." Severus said casually.

_**Black started to laugh, a horrible, mirthless laugh that filled the whole room.**_

_"__**Voldemort, teach me tricks?" he said.**_

_**Pettigrew flinched as though Black had brandished a whip at him.**_

_"__**What, scared to hear your old master's name?" said Black. "I don't blame you, Peter. His lot aren't very happy with you, are they?"**_

_"__**Don't know what you mean, Sirius —" muttered Pettigrew, his breathing faster than ever. His whole face was shining with sweat now.**_

_"__**You haven't been hiding from me for twelve years," said Black. "You've been hiding from Voldemort's old supporters. I heard things in Azkaban, Peter… They all think you're dead, or you'd have to answer to them… I've heard them screaming all sorts of things in their sleep. Sounds like they think the double-crosser double-crossed them. Voldemort went to the Potters' on your information… and Voldemort met his downfall there. And not all Voldemort's supporters ended up in Azkaban, did they? There are still plenty out here, biding their time, pretending they've seen the error of their ways. If they ever got wind that you were still alive, Peter —"**_

"Probably wouldn't have cared, most of his supporters were actually glad that he was gone so they could live they lives as they wished without a sadistic megalomaniac tormenting them if he is annoyed or bored." Al said nonchalantly "Only th ones in Azkaban still wanted him back."

"Nice to know."

"I can understand that those not in Azkaban enjoy they freedom." Lucius said.

_"__**Don't know… what you're talking about…" said Pettigrew again, more shrilly than ever. He wiped his face on his sleeve and looked up at Lupin. "You don't believe this — this madness, Remus —"**_

_"__**I must admit, Peter, I have difficulty in understanding why an innocent man would want to spend twelve years as a rat," said Lupin evenly.**_

_"__**Innocent, but scared!" squealed Pettigrew. "If Voldemort's supporters were after me, it was because I put one of their best men in Azkaban — the spy, Sirius Black!"**_

_**Black's face contorted.**_

_"__**How dare you," he growled, sounding suddenly like the bearsized dog he had been. "I, a spy for Voldemort? When did I ever sneak around people who were stronger and more powerful than myself? But you, Peter — I'll never understand why I didn't see you were the spy from the start. You always liked big friends who'd look after you, didn't you? It used to be us… me and Remus… and James…"**_

"Uhm…sorry Peter, that was a harsh blow for you here." Sirius said.

"No…no…problem Sirius my book self deserved that." Peter replied faintly.

_**Pettigrew wiped his face again; he was almost panting for breath.**_

_**"Me, a spy… must be out of your mind… never… don't know how you can say such a —"**_

_"__**Lily and James only made you Secret-Keeper because I suggested it," Black hissed, so venomously that Pettigrew took a step backward. "I thought it was the perfect plan… a bluff… Voldemort would be sure to come after me, would never dream they'd use a weak, talentless thing like you… It must have been the finest moment of your miserable life, telling Voldemort you could hand him the Potters."**_

_**Pettigrew was muttering distractedly; Harry caught words like "far-fetched" and "lunacy," but he couldn't help paying more attention to the ashen color of Pettigrew's face and the way his eyes continued to dart toward the windows and door.**_

_"__**Professor Lupin?" said Hermione timidly. "Can — can I say something?"**_

_"__**Certainly, Hermione," said Lupin courteously.**_

_"__**Well — Scabbers — I mean, this — this man — he's been sleeping in Harry's dormitory for three years. If he's working for You-Know-Who, how come he never tried to hurt Harry before now?"**_

_"__**There!" said Pettigrew shrilly, pointing at Ron with his maimed hand. "Thank you! You see, Remus? I have never hurt a hair of Harry's head! Why should I?"**_

_"__**I'll tell you why," said Black. "Because you never did anything for anyone unless you could see what was in it for you. Voldemort's been in hiding for fifteen years, they say he's half dead. You weren't about to commit murder right under Albus Dumbledore's nose, for a wreck of a wizard who'd lost all of his power, were you? You'd want to be quite sure he was the biggest bully in the playground before you went back to him, wouldn't you? Why else did you find a wizard family to take you in? Keeping an ear out for news, weren't you, Peter? Just in case your old protector regained strength, and it was safe to rejoin him…"**_

_**Pettigrew opened his mouth and closed it several times. He seemed to have lost the ability to talk.**_

_"__**Er — Mr. Black — Sirius?" said Hermione.**_

_**Black jumped at being addressed like this and stared at Hermione as though he had never seen anything quite like her.**_

"Well I went twelve years without someone saying my name so it probably took me by surprise." Sirius said bitterly.

_"__**If you don't mind me asking, how — how did you get out of Azkaban, if you didn't use Dark Magic?"**_

_"__**Thank you!" gasped Pettigrew, nodding frantically at her. "Exactly! Precisely what I —"**_

_**But Lupin silenced him with a look. **_

"Wow, that look must have truly improved if you ca silence your friends with it." James said laughing.

"I had twelve years to practice it." Remus replied grinning.

_**Black was frowning slightly at Hermione, but not as though he were annoyed with her. He seemed to be pondering his answer.**_

_"__**I don't know how I did it," he said slowly. "I think the only reason I never lost my mind is that I knew I was innocent. That wasn't a happy thought, so the Dementors couldn't suck it out of me… but it kept me sane and knowing who I am… helped me keep my powers… so when it all became… too much… I could transform in my cell… become a dog. Dementors can't see, you know…" He swallowed. "They feel their way toward people by feeding off their emotions… They could tell that my feelings were less — less human, less complex when I was a dog… but they thought, of course, that I was losing my mind like everyone else in there, so it didn't trouble them. But I was weak, very weak, and I had no hope of driving them away from me without a wand…**_

Everyone shuddered and the Blacks went to hug a shaking Sirius.

"Ugh…and I had twelve years from that…" Sirius moaned in despair.

_"__**But then I saw Peter in that picture… I realized he was at Hogwarts with Harry… perfectly positioned to act, if one hint reached his ears that the Dark Side was gathering strength again…"**_

_**Pettigrew was shaking his head, mouthing noiselessly, but staring all the while at Black as though hypnotized.**_

_"… __**ready to strike at the moment he could be sure of allies… and to deliver the last Potter to them. If he gave them Harry, who'd dare say he'd betrayed Lord Voldemort? He'd be welcomed back with honors…**_

_"__**So you see, I had to do something. I was the only one who knew Peter was still alive…"**_

Sirius found himself suddenly released from his family's embrace only to be tackled by both James and Lily who were tanking him for caring so much about they son that he would even manage the unthinkable.

_**Harry remembered what Mr. Weasley had told Mrs. Wealsey. "The guards say he's been talking in his sleep… always the same words… 'He's at Hogwarts.'"**_

_"__**It was as if someone had lit a fire In my head, and the Dementors couldn't destroy it… It wasn't a happy feeling… it was an obsession… but it gave me strength, it cleared my mind. So, one night when they opened my door to bring food, I slipped past them as a dog… It's so much harder for them to sense animal emotions that they were confused… I was thin, very thin… thin enough to slip through the bars…**_

Everyone shuddered at this knowing how little space usualy exists between such bars.

_**I swam as a dog back to the mainland… I journeyed north and slipped into the Hogwarts grounds as a dog. I've been living in the forest ever since, except when I came to watch the Quidditch, of course. You fly as well as your father did, Harry…"**_

_**He looked at Harry, who did not look away.**_

_"__**Believe me," croaked Black. "Believe me, Harry. I never betrayed James and Lily. I would have died before I betrayed them."**_

_**And at long last, Harry believed him. Throat too tight to speak, he nodded.**_

Everyone smiled at this relieved.

_"__**No!"**_

_**Pettigrew had fallen to his knees as though Harry's nod had been his own death sentence. He shuffled forward on his knees, groveling, his hands clasped in front of him as though praying.**_

_"__**Sirius — it's me… it's Peter… your friend… you wouldn't —"**_

_**Black kicked out and Pettigrew recoiled.**_

_"__**There's enough filth on my robes without you touching them," said Black.**_

_"__**Remus!" Pettigrew squeaked, turning to Lupin instead, writhing imploringly in front of him. "You don't believe this — wouldn't Sirius have told you they'd changed the plan?"**_

_"__**Not if he thought I was the spy, Peter," said Lupin. "I assume that's why you didn't tell me, Sirius?" he said casually over Pettigrew's head.**_

_"__**Forgive me, Remus," said Black.**_

"Remus I…I…" Sirius was at loss of words, did his future self really think once that Remus had sided with Voldemort?

"Sirius, it is alright I understand that you thought that." Remus replied with a little smile, but then Sirius hugged him.

"No, I don't know why I had that damned idea, you would never turn on us Moony, I'm sorry." he said while clinging to his friend.

"It is fine Padfoot, Arthur please continue."

_**"Not at all, Padfoot, old friend," said Lupin, who was now rolling up his sleeves. "And will you, in turn, forgive me for believing you were the spy?"**_

_"__**Of course," said Black, and the ghost of a grin flitted across his gaunt face. He, too, began rolling up his sleeves. "Shall we kill him together?"**_

_"__**Yes, I think so," said Lupin grimly.**_

_"__**You wouldn't… you won't…" gasped Pettigrew. And he scrambled around to Ron.**_

_"__**Ron… haven't I been a good friend… a good pet? You won't let them kill me, Ron, will you… you're on my side, aren't you?"**_

_**But Ron was staring at Pettigrew with the utmost revulsion.**_

_"__**I let you sleep in my bed!" he said.**_

"Now looking back at it, it certainly sounds disturbing."

"SIRIUS/PADFOOT/BLACK!" shrieked everyone in the room.

_**"Kind boy… kind master…" Pettigrew crawled toward Ron "You won't let them do it… I was your rat… I was a good pet…"**_

_"__**If you made a better rat than a human, it's not much to boast about, Peter," said Black harshly.**_

_**Ron, going still paler with pain, wrenched his broken leg out of Pettigrew's reach. Pettigrew turned on his knees, staggered forward, and seized the hem of Hermione's robes.**_

_"__**Sweet girl… clever girl… you — you won't let them… Help me…"**_

_**Hermione pulled her robes out of Pettigrew's clutching hands and backed away against the wall, looking horrified.**_

_**Pettigrew knelt, trembling uncontrollably, and turned his head slowly toward Harry.**_

_"__**Harry… Harry… you look just like your father… just like him…"**_

"Not the best move Wormy." James said to his friend.

"Seems so." He said while Arthur was about to continue, but then Sirius marched up to him and seized the book.

"Oh for the love of…" Sirius muttered.

_"__**HOW DARE YOU SPEAK TO HARRY?" roared Black. **_

_**"HOW DARE YOU FACE HIM? HOW DARE YOU TALK ABOUT JAMES IN FRONT OF HIM?"**_

With that he gave the book back to Arthur, a pleased smile on his lips.

"This is how you do it." he said while the others still held thy ears.

_"__**Harry," whispered Pettigrew, shuffling toward him, hands outstretched. "Harry, James wouldn't have wanted me killed… James would have understood, Harry… he would have shown me mercy…"**_

_**Both Black and Lupin strode forward, seized Pettigrew's shoulders, and threw him backward onto the floor. He sat there, twitching with terror, staring up at them.**_

_"__**You sold Lily and James to Voldemort," said Black, who was shaking too. "Do you deny it?"**_

_**Pettigrew burst into tears. It was horrible to watch, like an oversized, balding baby, cowering on the floor.**_

_"__**Sirius, Sirius, what could I have done? The Dark Lord… you have no idea… he has weapons you can't imagine… I was scared, Sirius, I was never brave like you and Remus and James. I never meant it to happen… He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named forced me —"**_

Sirius was again about to grab the book, but Remus pinned him to the ground.

"And you will stay like that till the chapter is done." he told his friend.

_"__**DON'T LIE!" bellowed Black. "YOU'D BEEN PASSING INFORMATION TO HIM FOR A YEAR BEFORE LILY AND JAMES DIED! YOU WERE HIS SPY!"**_

_"__**He — he was taking over everywhere!" gasped Pettigrew. "Wh-what was there to be gained by refusing him?"**_

_"__**What was there to be gained by fighting the most evil wizard who has ever existed?" said Black, with a terrible fury in his face. "Only innocent lives, Peter!"**_

_"__**You don't understand!" whined Pettigrew. "He would have killed me, Sirius!"**_

_"__**THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE DIED!" roared Black. "DIED RATHER THAN BETRAY YOUR FRIENDS, AS WE WOULD HAVE DONE FOR YOU!"**_

_**Black and Lupin stood shoulder to shoulder, wands raised.**_

_"__**You should have realized," said Lupin quietly, "if Voldemort didn't kill you, we would. Good-bye, Peter."**_

_**Hermione covered her face with her hands and turned to the wall.**_

_"__**NO!" Harry yelled. **_

"Looks like Harry will stop them." James said.

_**He ran forward, placing himself in front Pettigrew, facing the wands. "You can't kill him," he said breathlessly. "You can't."**_

_**Black and Lupin both looked staggered.**_

"We can imagine." said everyone in union.

_"__**Harry, this piece of vermin is the reason you have no parents," Black snarled. "This cringing bit of filth would have seen you die too, without turning a hair. You heard him. His own stinking skin meant more to him than your whole family."**_

_"__**I know," Harry panted. "We'll take him up to the castle. We'll hand him over to the Dementors… He can go to Azkaban… but don't kill him."**_

_"__**Harry!" gasped Pettigrew, and he flung his arms around Harry's knees. "You — thank you — it's more than I deserve — thank you —"**_

_"__**Get off me," Harry spat, throwing Pettigrew's hands off him in disgust. "I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing it because — I don't reckon my dad would've wanted them to become killers — just for you."**_

James smiled gratefully at this.

_**No one moved or made a sound except Pettigrew, whose breath was coming in wheezes as he clutched his chest. Black and Lupin were looking at each other. Then, with one movement, they lowered their wands.**_

_"__**You're the only person who has the right to decide, Harry," said Black. "But think… think what he did…"**_

_"__**He can go to Azkaban," Harry repeated. "If anyone deserves that place, he does…"**_

_**Pettigrew was still wheezing behind him.**_

_"__**Very well," said Lupin. "Stand aside, Harry."**_

_**Harry hesitated.**_

_"__**I'm going to tie him up," said Lupin. "That's all, I swear."**_

_**Harry stepped out of the way. Thin cords shot from Lupin's wand this time, and next moment, Pettigrew was wriggling on the floor, bound and gagged.**_

_"__**But if you transform, Peter," growled Black, his own wand pointing at Pettigrew too, "we will kill you. You agree, Harry?"**_

_**Harry looked down at the pitiful figure on the floor and nodded so that Pettigrew could see him.**_

_"__**Right," said Lupin, suddenly businesslike. "Ron, I can't mend bones nearly as well as Madam Pomfrey, **_

"And this shows that you have more common sense then Goldilocks." Rosier said grinning.

_**so I think it's best if we just strap your leg up until we can get you to the hospital wing."**_

_**He hurried over to Ron, bent down, tapped Ron's leg with his wand, and muttered, "Ferula." Bandages spun up Ron's leg, strapping it tightly to a splint. Lupin helped him to his feet; Ron put his weight gingerly on the leg and didn't wince.**_

_"__**That's better," he said. "Thanks."**_

_"__**What about Professor Snape?" said Hermione in a small voice, looking down at Snape's prone figure.**_

"I hope for you that you aren't planning to leave him there." Lucius said in a threatening tone while everyone missed Devona going a bit pale at the last sentence, both Al and Scorpius placed they hands on hers.

_"__**There's nothing seriously wrong with him," said Lupin, bending over Snape and checking his pulse. "You were just a little — overenthusiastic. Still out cold. Er — perhaps it will be best if we don't revive him until we're safety back in the castle. We can take him like this…"**_

_**He muttered, "Mobilicorpus." As though invisible strings were tied to Snape's wrists, neck, and knees, he was pulled into a standing position, head still lolling unpleasantly, like a grotesque puppet.**_

A feint growl could be heard at the last word.

_**He hung a few inches above the ground, his limp feet dangling. Lupin picked up the Invisibility Cloak and tucked it safely into his pocket.**_

_"__**And two of us should be chained to this," said Black, nudging Pettigrew with his toe. "Just to make sure."**_

_"__**I'll do it," said Lupin.**_

_"__**And me," said Ron savagely, limping forward.**_

_**Black conjured heavy manacles from thin air; soon Pettigrew was upright again, left arm chained to Lupin's right, right arm to Ron's left. Ron's face was set. He seemed to have taken Scabbers's true identity as a personal insult. Crookshanks leapt lightly off the bed and led the way out of the room, his bottlebrush tail held jauntily high.**_

"So this was the end of the chapter." Arthur said.

"Great, Moony, could you now ple…" but Sirius was interrupted then they parents walked in to the room holding large boxes with different sorts of ice cram while Cygnus had a large orange cat in his arms.

"Kids we are ba…" suddenly all parents stopped death in they tracks as they eyes fell on the awkward position both Sirius and Remus were in and n the outfit the former was wearing. To make matters even worse his dress had slipped further up Sirius1s leg revealing his white stockings and matching panties.

"What in Merlin's name!" Cygnus finally yelled in shock while Crookshanks jumped from his arms and sat down beside Sirius's shoulders.

"Uhm…you are already back?" James asked.

_To be continued…_


	21. After the shock, The Dementor's Kiss

XXI. After the shock, _**The Dementor's Kiss**_

* * *

After nearly one hour of explaining, shouting from Sirius's part as he tried to get his point clear and four doses of Calming Draught later was everyone ready to continue reading. Well except Cygnus who thanks to the high doses of the potion was currently humming happily in the corner of the room and Sirius whose outfit was getting fixed up by his aunt and Mrs. Potter.

"So, who will be reading next?" Lily asked still slightly amused from they parents reaction and poor Sirius's most embarrassing moment.

"Lily, Petunia where are Vernon and Marge?" she heard her mother ask as she looked around.

"Oh, they felt tired and went to lay down." Petunia answered earning herself a few smiles from the others.

"I see." Susan replied smiling, it was nice that her daughters were getting along again.

"Well then if till now nobody volunteered then I will read." Alice said as she grabbed the book while Sirius also joined them with Mrs. Potter and Black, Crookshanks meanwhile settled himself down on Sirius's lap and started purring as the boy stroke its fur.

"When that Patronus come with the message that we should also get this cat I would have never imagined that it was for Sirius." Allana said in a lightly shocked tone.

"I understand dear, he never liked cats before this." Druella replied.

"Well then, we already knew that something g would go wrong with Remus forgetting to take his potion." Alice said before holding a dramatic pause "_**The Dementor's Kiss**_"

"What!" the parents yelled in shock while the kids groaned.

"Continue Ali." Frank said to his girlfriend.

_**Harry had never been part of a stranger group.**_

"He will one day be proven wrong." Al said grinning.

_**Crookshanks led the way down the stairs; Lupin, Pettigrew, and Ron went next, looking like entrants in a six-legged race. Next came Professor Snape, drifting creepily along, his toes hitting each stair as they descended, held up by his own wand, which was being pointed at him by Sirius. Harry and Hermione brought up the rear.**_

_**Getting back into the tunnel was difficult. Lupin, Pettigrew, and Ron had to turn sideways to manage it; Lupin still had Pettigrew covered with his wand. Harry could see them edging awkwardly along the tunnel in single file. Crookshanks was still in the lead. Harry went right after Black, who was still making Snape drift along ahead of them; he kept bumping his lolling head on the low ceiling. Harry had the impression Black was making no effort to prevent this.**_

"Erm…sorry…" Sirius muttered at the glares he received from a few people in the room and he made a great effort to sit as far away from Lucius as possible who looked ready to pounce at him.

"That reminds me, _Accio_." and with that landed all of the adults wands in Al's hands. "This is for everyone's safety." he answered by the looks he received.

_"__**You know what this means?" Black said abruptly to Harry as they made their slow progress along the tunnel. "Turning Pettigrew in?"**_

"Wait." Spoke Druella suddenly "Weren't we told that he is dead…" her dark eyes drifted to Peter.

"And turning him in would mean that since we were told that Sirius is innocent then…." Allana continued.

"Mom, Mrs. Black we know and it was already settled that we won't let that happen and don't forget we should only judge after all books are finished." James said hurriedly in Peter's defense who stared scared at the two women.

"I agree with James." Sirius added I at which both women exchanged a look wit each other before turning back to the two boys.

"Fine." they replied together.

_"__**You're free," said Harry.**_

_**"Yes…" said Black. "But I'm also — I don't know if anyone ever told you — I'm your godfather."**_

_"__**Yeah, I knew that," said Harry.**_

_"__**Well… your parents appointed me your guardian," said Black stiffly. "If anything happened to them…"**_

_**Harry waited. Did Black mean what he thought he meant?**_

Everyone except the three professors smiled at this gladly.

_"__**I'll understand, of course, if you want to stay with your aunt and uncle," said Black. "But… well… think about it. Once my name's cleared… if you wanted a… a different home…"**_

_**Some sort of explosion took place in the pit of Harry's stomach.**_

_"__**What — live with you?" he said, accidentally cracking his head on a bit of rock protruding from the ceiling. "Leave the Dursleys?"**_

_"__**Of course, I thought you wouldn't want to," said Black quickly. "I understand, I just thought I'd —"**_

"Of course he will come with me/go with you." replied the kids in union at which the parents exchanged glances with each other.

_**"Are you insane?" said Harry, his voice easily as croaky as Black's. "Of course I want to leave the Dursleys! Have you got a house? When can I move in?"**_

"Someone is pretty enthusiastic there, this will certainly baffle me." Sirius said chuckling.

"I'm surprised that Harry hadn't tackled you already for that suggestion mate." James added in grinning.

_**Black turned right around to look at him; Snape's head was scraping the ceiling but Black didn't seem to care.**_

Severus and Narcissa both grabed Lucius's arms in fear he would throw himself at Sirius for this.

_"__**You want to?" he said. "You mean it?"**_

_"__**Yeah, I mean it!" said Harry.**_

_**Black's gaunt face broke into the first true smile Harry had seen upon it. The difference it made was startling, as though a person ten years younger were shining through the starved mask; for a moment, he was recognizable as the man who had laughed at Harry's parents' wedding.**_

"That is good to hear." Sirius said while the others smiled at him.

_**They did not speak again until they had reached the end of the tunnel. Crookshanks darted up first; he had evidently pressed his paw to the knot on the trunk, because Lupin, Pettigrew, and Ron clambered upward without any sound of savaging branches.**_

At this the parents suddenly stared at the purring feline in Sirius's lap as realization dawned on them.

"Is this by any chance the same cat as in the book?" Daria asked curiously.

"The very same." Sirius replied grinning while Alice continued.

_**Black saw Snape up through the hole, then stood back for Harry and Hermione to pass. At last, all of them were out.**_

_**The grounds were very dark now; the only light came from the distant windows of the castle. Without a word, they set off. Pettigrew was still wheezing and occasionally whimpering. Harry's mind was buzzing. He was going to leave the Dursleys. He was going to live with Sirius Black, his parents' best friend… He felt dazed… What would happen when he told the Dursleys he was going to live with the convict they'd seen on television…!**_

"Knowing how our future selves are we would probably be first horrified and then do anything to get you out of the house as fast as we can." Petunia replied in amusement at which her parents stared at her in shock while the others nodded.

_"__**One wrong move, Peter," said Lupin threateningly ahead. His wand was still pointed sideways at Pettigrew's chest.**_

_**Silently they tramped through the grounds, the castle lights growing slowly larger. Snape was still drifting weirdly ahead of Black, his chin bumping on his chest. And then -**_

"Ugh…and here it comes…" Alice said signing.

"Harry and his shifting luck…" James said sorrowfully.

"Well at least he had a happy moment and knows that I care." Sirius said while the parents exchanged uneasy glances.

_**A cloud shifted. There were suddenly dim shadows on the ground. Their party was bathed in moonlight.**_

"Don't worry Moony, I'm there to protect them." Sirius tried reassuring his friend.

"Black I hope you haven't forgotten that as a teacher I have the duty to protect the students, even if they knocked me against a wall with a combined _Expelliarmus._" Severus stated.

"They did what!" thought the parents were ignored.

_**Snape collided with Lupin, Pettigrew, and Ron, who had stopped abruptly. Black froze. He flung out one arm to make Harry and Hermione stop.**_

_**Harry could see Lupin's silhouette. He had gone rigid. Then his limbs began to shake.**_

_"__**Oh, my —" Hermione gasped. "He didn't take his potion tonight! He's not safe!"**_

_"__**Run," Black whispered. "Run. Now."**_

"Listen to Sirius!" Remus yelled in panic while Alice grimaced.

"Ugh…I never knew just how horrible it is for you to be a werewolf" she said while shaking her head.

_**But Harry couldn't run. Ron was chained to Pettigrew and Lupin.**_

"NO!" Molly and Arthur screamed in horror while Sirius was hugging a shaking Remus, the others went pale.

_**He leapt forward but Black caught him around the chest and threw him back.**_

_"__**Leave it to me — RUN!"**_

Both Lily ad Allana whispered at this a silent "Thank you" to Sirius.

_**There was a terrible snarling noise. Lupin's head was lengthening. So was his body. His shoulders were hunching. Hair was sprouting visibly on his face and hands, which were curling into clawed paws. Crookshanks's hair was on end again; he was backing away —**_

Everyone looked sympathetically at Remus.

_**As the werewolf reared, snapping its long jaws, Sirius disappeared from Harry's side. He had transformed. The enormous, bearlike dog bounded forward. As the werewolf wrenched itself free of the manacle binding it, the dog seized it about the neck and pulled it backward, away from Ron and Pettigrew. They were locked, jaw to jaw, claws ripping at each other.**_

_**Harry stood, transfixed by the sight, too intent upon the battle to notice anything else. It was Hermione's scream that alerted him — Pettigrew had dived for Lupin's dropped wand. Ron, unsteady on his bandaged leg, fell. There was a bang, a burst of light — and Ron lay motionless on the ground. Another bang — Crookshanks flew into the air and back to the earth in a heap.**_

"No! I'm getting away!" Peter yelled in panic, on any other day everyone would have thought this funny, but according to what they found out in the book was this bad.

_**"Expelliarmus." Harry yelled, pointing his own wand at Pettigrew; Lupin's wand flew high into the air and out of sight. "Stay where you are!" Harry shouted, running forward.**_

_**Too late. Pettigrew had transformed. Harry saw his bald tail whip through the manacle on Ron's outstretched arm and heard a scurrying through the grass.**_

_**There was a howl and a rumbling growl; Harry turned to see the werewolf taking flight; it was galloping into the forest —**_

At this everyone sighed in relief while the three professors grinned, they knew from where that howl had come from.

_"__**Sirius, he's gone, Pettigrew transformed!" Harry yelled.**_

_**Black was bleeding; there were gashes across his muzzle and back,**_

"Sirius I'm…" but Sirius silenced him while placing both his hands on his friend's shoulder.

"It is alright Remy, you didn't hurt me badly and I think this was your wolf's way of telling me that he was still angry at me for leaving you alone for so many years." he told his friend grinning.

_**but at Harry's words he scrambled up again, and in an instant, the sound of his paws faded to silence as he pounded away across the grounds.**_

_**Harry and Hermione dashed over to Ron.**_

_"__**What did he do to him?" Hermione whispered. Ron's eyes were only half-closed, his mouth hung open; he was definitely alive, they could hear him breathing, but he didn't seem to recognize them.**_

"My poor baby…" Molly sobbed and Peter stared guiltily on the ground.

"He is fine." Al said kindly to calm his grandmother, his uncle will have worse later on.

_"__**I don't know…"**_

_**Harry looked desperately around. Black and Lupin both gone… they had no one but Snape for company, still hanging, unconscious, in midair.**_

"Great, just when they would need an adult is one currently howling at the moon while running through the forest, the other hiding and licking his wounds and the other unconscious." Ted said groaning while the others snickered faintly at the comment.

_"__**We'd better get them up to the castle and tell someone," said Harry, pushing his hair out of his eyes, trying to think straight. "Come —"**_

_**But then, from beyond the range of their vision, they heard a yelping, a whining: a dog in pain…**_

"Oh no, remember the chapter title?" Narcissa asked in panic at which everyone paled.

"NOOO!" come many panicked yells.

_"__**Sirius," Harry muttered, staring into the darkness.**_

_**He had a moment's indecision, but there was nothing they could do for Ron at the moment, and by the sound of it, Black was in trouble —**_

"Hope he learns to use my given name." Sirius tried to lighten the mode, but he was also fearing for his future self.

_**Harry set off at a run, Hermione right behind him. The yelping seemed to be coming from the ground near the edge of the lake. They pelted toward it, and Harry, running flat out, felt the cold without realizing what it must mean **__**–**_

"Dementors…" they all gasped.

_**The yelping stopped abruptly. As they reached the lakeshore, they saw why — Sirius had turned back into a man. He was crouched on all fours, his hands over his head.**_

_"__**Nooo," he moaned. "Nooo… please…"**_

Sirius started whimpereing while his family tried calming him together with Crookshanks who was rubbing against him.

_**And then Harry saw them. Dementors, at least a hundred of them, gliding in a black mass around the lake toward them. He spun around, the familiar, icy cold penetrating his insides, fog starting to obscure his vision; more were appearing out of the darkness on every side; they were encircling them…**_

_"__**Hermione, think of something happy!" Harry yelled, raising his wand, blinking furiously to try and clear his vision, shaking his head to rid it of the faint screaming that had started inside it —**_

_**I'm going to live with my godfather. I'm leaving the Dursleys.**_

_**He forced himself to think of Black, and only Black, and began to chant: "Expecto patronum! Expecto patronum!"**_

_**Black gave a shudder, rolled over, and lay motionless on the ground, pale as death.**_

_**He'll be all right. I'm going to go and live with him.**_

_"__**Expecto patronum! Hermione, help me! Expecto patronum!"**_

_"__**Expecto —" Hermione whispered, "expecto — expecto —"**_

_**But she couldn't do it. The Dementors were closing in, barely ten feet from them. They formed a solid wall around Harry and Hermione, and were getting closer…**_

_"__**EXPECTO PATRONUM!" Harry yelled, trying to blot the screaming from his ears. "EXPECTO PATRONUM!"**_

_**A thin wisp of silver escaped his wand and hovered like mist before him. At the same moment, Harry felt Hermione collapse next to him. He was alone… completely alone…**_

_"__**Expecto — expecto patronum —"**_

_**Harry felt his knees hit the cold grass. Fog was clouding his eyes. With a huge effort, he fought to remember — Sirius was innocent — innocent — We'll be okay — I'm going to live with him —**_

_"__**Expecto patronum!" he gasped.**_

_**By the feeble light of his formless Patronus, he saw a Dementor halt, very close to him. It couldn't walk through the cloud of silver mist Harry had conjured. A dead, slimy hand slid out from under the cloak. It made a gesture as though to sweep the Patronus aside.**_

_"__**No — no —" Harry gasped. "He's innocent… expecto expecto patronum —"**_

_**He could feet them watching him, hear their rattling breath like an evil wind around him. The nearest Dementor seemed to be considering him. Then it raised both its rotting hands — and lowered its hood.**_

"NOOOO!" screamed everyone, the tension and panic in the room growing unbearable, as was the chocolate for that matter.

"Ugh…you wanted to know what was under the hood "Abraxas said in a strained voice "now you will see it…" at this Alice let out a little shriek before continuing with a shaking voice.

_**Where there should have been eyes, there was only thin, gray scabbed skin, stretched blankly over empty sockets. But there was a mouth… a gaping, shapeless hole, sucking the air with the sound of a death rattle.**_

The kids were again clinging to the adults in terror at the description.

_**A paralyzing terror filled Harry so that he couldn't move or speak. His Patronus flickered and died.**_

_**White fog was blinding him. He had to fight… expecto patronum… he couldn't see… and in the distance, he heard the familiar screaming… expecto patronum… he groped in the mist for Sirius, and found his arm… they weren't going to take him…**_

_**But a pair of strong, clammy hands suddenly attached themselves around Harry's neck. They were forcing his face upward… He could feel its breath… It was going to get rid of him first… He could feel its putrid breath… His mother was screaming in his ears… She was going to be the last thing he ever heard —**_

Lily was now sobbing and many others fought they own tears.

_**And then, through the fog that was drowning him, he thought he saw a silvery light growing brighter and brighter… He felt himself fall forward onto the grass… Facedown, too weak to move, sick and shaking, Harry opened his eyes. The Dementor must have released him. The blinding light was illuminating the grass around him… The screaming had stopped, the cold was ebbing away…**_

_**Something was driving the Dementors back…**_

"It must be a Patronus, they mentioned it not to long ago that Harry heard someone cast the spell, but who?" Andromeda asked.

"Who cares, they are safe." James said relieved.

_**It was circling around him and Black and Hermione… They were leaving…**_

_**The air was warm again…**_

More relieved sighs filled the room while Cygnus was still humming in his corner.

_**With every ounce of strength he could muster, Harry raised his head a few inches and saw an animal amid the light, galloping away across the lake… Eyes blurred with sweat, Harry tried to make out what it was… It was as bright as a unicorn… Fighting to stay conscious, Harry watched it can'ter to a halt as it reached the opposite shore. For a moment, Harry saw, by its brightness, somebody welcoming it back… raising his hand to pat it… someone who looked strangely familiar… but it couldn't be…**_

_**Harry didn't understand. He couldn't think anymore. He felt the last of his strength leave him, and his head hit the ground as he fainted.**_

"That's the end of the chapter, but I'm curious who had cast the Patronus." Alice said thoughtfully.

"We may find out soon, but first let us eat the ice cream and refill the chocolate bowl." Allana suggested, she was sure that they would need something to calm they nerves the book was still not done.

"Agreed mom, uhm…when exactly will the effect of the Calming Draught lessen?" James asked as he and the others looked over at Cygnus.

"I think he will come around in a hour or so." Druella replied.

"I kind of like him like that." Rosier said grinning as he took a spoon full of his ice.

_To be continued…_


	22. Soon done, Hermione's Secret

XXII. Soon done, _**Hermione's Secret**_

* * *

After finishing with the ice and refilling the bowl was it decided that Lucius should read the following chapter.

"Just a question, how many chapters are left?" Frank asked suddenly.

"Not much, this is the fore last one." Devona told them.

"Ah, great this means that we soon can start with the next one." James said grinning.

"Then that we really get to the next one I will start _**Hermione's Secret**_."

"I think this will explain how she managed all those classes to you." Daria said smiling as she nodded to her son to continue.

_"__**Shocking business… shocking… miracle none of them died… never heard the like… by thunder, it was lucky you were there, Snape…"**_

"Who's there?" Lily asked.

"The idiot they call Minister." Lucius spat.

"Ugh…I fear what comes." Severus said groaning.

"Don't worry, everything will be fine." Al said smiling in a calming manner.

_"__**Thank you, Minister."**_

_"__**Order of Merlin, Second Class, I'd say. First Class, if I can wangle it!"**_

"I wouldn't want one if it were for the life of an innocent, even if it is Black." Severus said while Sirius tried to decide if he should feel relieved or offended by that statement.

"You will get one a few years later thought." Al said "_Thought most would be happier if it weren't a Post Mortem one." _he thought while looking at Devona.

"Really?" Severus asked shocked.

"Yes, for immense bravery and selflessness." he answered while everyone looked awed.

_"__**Thank you very much indeed, Minister."**_

_"__**Na…**_

Lucius suddenly looked up drakly from the book before continuing much to everyone's relief.

_"__**Nasty cut you've got there… Black's work, I suppose?"**_

_"__**As a matter of fact, it was Potter, Weasley, and Granger, Minister…"**_

_"__**No!"**_

_**"Black had bewitched them, I saw it immediately. A Confundus Charm, to judge by their behavior. They seemed to think there was a possibility he was innocent. They weren't responsible for their actions. **_

"Wow, you really take your role as teacher seriously and protect the students." Alice said shocked a bit forgiving the others future self for the way he acts with her son.

_**On the other hand, their interference might have permitted Black to escape… They obviously thought they were going to catch Black single-handed. They've got away with a great deal before now… I'm afraid it's given them a rather high opinion of themselves… and of course Potter has always been allowed an extraordinary amount of license by the headmaster —"**_

"Which is actually true." Lily said while shaking her head, the parents meanwhile instructed Aractus to make a list for them.

_"__**Ah, well, Snape… Harry Potter, you know… we've all got a bit of a blind spot where he's concerned."**_

_"__**And yet — is it good for him to be given so much special treatment? Personally, I try and treat him like any other student. **_

"Actually that is true." James said in a shocked tone, Severus was the only one treating Harry in the Magical World like a normal person.

"Yep, dad also managed to realize this later on." Al said, thought he would have liked if that would have happened sooner, much could have been changed for the better then.

"Was this also one of the grounds why he named you after him?" Remus asked at which Al nodded before letting Lucius continue.

_**And any other student would be suspended — at the very least — for leading his friends into such danger. Consider, Minister — against all school rules — after all the precautions put in place for his protection — out-of-bounds, at night, consorting with a werewolf and a murderer — and I have reason to believe he has been visiting Hogsmeade illegally too —"**_

_"__**Well, well… we shall see, Snape, we shall see… The boy has undoubtedly been foolish…"**_

"Which combined with him being a Griffindor and the Potter genes make it a dangerous mix." Allana groaned, the three Potter men didn't dare object even thought the later was more snake then lion.

_**Harry lay listening with his eyes tight shut. He felt very groggy. The words he was hearing seemed to be traveling very slowly from his ears to his brain, so that it was difficult to understand… His limbs felt like lead; his eyelids too heavy to lift… He wanted to lie here, on this comfortable bed, forever…**_

_"__**What amazes me most is the behavior of the Dementors… you've really no idea what made them retreat, Snape?"**_

_"__**No, Minister… by the time I had come 'round they were heading back to their positions at the entrances…"**_

_"__**Extraordinary. And yet Black, and Harry, and the girl —"**_

_"__**All unconscious by the time I reached them. I bound and gagged Black, naturally, conjured stretchers, and brought them all straight back to the castle."**_

_**There was a pause. Harry's brain seemed to be moving a little faster, and as it did, a gnawing sensation grew in the pit of his stomach…**_

_**He opened his eyes.**_

_**Everything was slightly blurred. Somebody had removed his glasses. He was lying in the dark hospital wing. At the very end of the ward, he could make out Madam Pomfrey with her back to him, bending over a bed. Harry squinted. Ron's red hair was visible beneath Madam Pomfrey's arm.**_

_**Harry moved his head over on the pillow. In the bed to his right lay Hermione. Moonlight was falling across her bed. Her eyes were open too. She looked petrified, **_

"Understandable after what they went through." Daria said with a sad smile.

_**and when she saw that Harry was awake, pressed a finger to her lips, then pointed to the hospital wing door. It was ajar, and the voices of Cornelius Fudge and Snape were coming through it from the corridor outside.**_

_**Madam Pomfrey now came walking briskly up the dark ward to Harry's bed. He turned to look at her. She was carrying the largest block of chocolate he had ever seen in his life. It looked like a small boulder.**_

"That sounds wonderful." Remus said with a dreamy look on his face at which everyone snickered.

_"__**Ah, you're awake!" she said briskly. She placed the chocolate on Harry's bedside table and began breaking it apart with a small hammer.**_

_"__**How's Ron?" said Harry and Hermione together.**_

_"__**He'll live," said Madam Pomfrey grimly. "As for you two, you'll be staying here until I'm satisfied you're — Potter, what do you think you're doing?"**_

_**Harry was sitting up, putting his glasses back on, and picking up his wand.**_

"Harry, at least wait till she is away." James said while shaking his head. "Sirius, after you get away and Remus after you are human again please teach that boy at least the basic Marauder rules." James told his friends who nodded.

_"__**I need to see the headmaster," he said.**_

_"__**Potter," said Madam Pomfrey soothingly, "it's all right. They've got Black. He's locked away upstairs. The Dementors will be performing the kiss any moment now —"**_

"He will manage to get away." Devona said firmly to stop everyone from shouting.

_"__**WHAT?"**_

"Lucius, why aren't you yelling that part?" Sirius whined, but the blonde ignored him, he had fun tormenting him.

_**Harry jumped up out of bed; Hermione had done the same. But his shout had been heard in the corridor outside; next second, Cornelius Fudge and Snape had entered the ward.**_

_"__**Harry, Harry, what's this?" said Fudge, looking agitated. "You should be in bed — has he had any chocolate?" he asked Madam Pomfrey anxiously.**_

_"__**Minister, listen!" Harry said. "Sirius Black's innocent! Peter Pettigrew faked his own death! We saw him tonight! You can't let the Dementors do that thing to Sirius, he's —"**_

_**But Fudge was shaking his head with a small smile on his face.**_

_"__**Harry, Harry, you're very confused, you've been through a dreadful ordeal, lie back down, now, we've got everything under control…"**_

"I want to hex that guy." Sirius growled while the others nodded.

"Before you ask I started on that a Fudge list." Aractus informed them.

_"__**YOU HAVEN'T!" Harry yelled. "YOU'VE GOT THE WRONG MAN!"**_

_"__**Minister, listen, please," Hermione said; she had hurried to Harry's side and was gazing imploringly into Fudge's face. **_

_"__**I saw him too. It was Ron's rat, he's an Animagus, Pettigrew, I mean, and —"**_

_"__**You see, Minister?" said Snape. "Confunded, both of them… Black's done a very good job on them…"**_

"Well, you haven't seen Peter because you were already knocked out so it is understandable that you think like that." Remus said.

_"__**WE'RE NOT CONFUNDED!" Harry roared.**_

_"__**Minister! Professor!" said Madam Pomfrey angrily. "I must insist that you leave. Potter is my patient, and he should not be distressed!"**_

_"__**I'm not distressed, I'm trying to tell them what happened!" Harry said furiously. "If they'd just listen —"**_

_**But Madam Pomfrey suddenly stuffed a large chunk of chocolate into Harry"s mouth; he choked, and she seized the opportunity to force him back onto the bed.**_

Everyone who had once been a hard to deal with patient chuckled fondly at the nurse's actions.

_"__**Now, please, Minister, these children need care. Please leave."**_

_**The door opened again. It was Dumbledore. Harry swallowed his mouthful of chocolate with great difficulty and got up again.**_

_"__**Professor Dumbledore, Sirius Black —"**_

_"__**For heaven's sake!" said Madam Pomfrey hysterically. "Is this a hospital wing or not? Headmaster, I must insist —"**_

Everyone was now laughing at the poor woman's distress.

_"__**My apologies, Poppy, but I need a word with Mr. Potter and Miss Granger," said Dumbledore calmly. "I have just been talking to Sirius Black —"**_

_"__**I suppose he's told you the same fairy tale he's planted in Potter's mind?" spat Snape. "Something about a rat, and Pettigrew being alive —"**_

"Erm…to be honest if you didn't see it then it is really hard to believe." Frank said.

_**"That, indeed, is Black's story," said Dumbledore, surveying Snape closely through his half-moon spectacles.**_

_"__**And does my evidence count for nothing?" snarled Snape. "Peter Pettigrew was not in the Shrieking Shack, nor did I see any sign of him on the grounds."**_

_"__**That was because you were knocked out, Professor!"**_

"No need to remind me." Severus mumbled while the others tried not to laugh.

_**said Hermione earnestly. "You didn't arrive in time to hear."**_

_"__**Miss Granger, HOLD YOUR TONGUE!"**_

"See."

_"__**Now, Snape," said Fudge, startled, "the young lady is disturbed in her mind, we must make allowances —"**_

_"__**I would like to speak to Harry and Hermione alone," said Dumbledore abruptly. "Cornelius, Severus, Poppy — please leave us."**_

_"__**Headmaster!" sputtered Madam Pomfrey. "They need treatment, they need rest —"**_

_**"This cannot wait," said Dumbledore. "I must insist."**_

_**Madam Pomfrey pursed her lips and strode away into her office at the end of the ward, slamming the door behind her.**_

"Poppy was always a dedicated Healer." Daria said smiling, not many knew, but she was pretty fond of the Med witch.

"Yes even back in our school time, even thought she was a Hufflepuff she always tried to help everyone in the other Houses also." Alphonse said nodding.

"That would explain why she was that much for our ideas." Scorpius whispered to his friends.

_**Fudge consulted the large gold pocket watch dangling from his waistcoat.**_

_"__**The Dementors should have arrived by now," he said. "I'll go and meet them. Dumbledore, I'll see you upstairs."**_

_**He crossed to the door and held it open for Snape, but Snape hadn't moved.**_

_"__**You surely don't believe a word of Black's story?" Snape whispered, his eyes fixed on Dumbledore's face.**_

_"__**I wish to speak to Harry and Hermione alone," Dumbledore repeated.**_

_**Snape took a step toward Dumbledore.**_

_"__**Sirius Black showed he was capable of murder at the age of sixteen," he breathed. **_

"Ugh…I know that you have told me that my prank back then would one day kick me in the shin and now it happened." Sirius said groaning, he really started regretting everything he had done against the other.

_"__**You haven't forgotten that, Headmaster? You haven't forgotten that he once tried to kill me?"**_

_"__**My memory is as good as it ever was, Severus," said Dumbledore quietly.**_

_**Snape turned on his heel and marched through the door Fudge was still holding. It closed behind them, and Dumbledore turned to Harry and Hermione. They both burst into speech at the same time.**_

_"__**Professor, Black's telling the truth — we saw Pettigrew — he escaped when Professor Lupin turned into a werewolf —"**_

Remus flinched at the reminder, if it weren't for him would be Sirius a free man and Harry could live with him. A hand on his shoulder brought him out of the depressing thoughts as Sirius smiled at him reassuringly.

_"— __**he's a rat —"**_

_"— __**Pettigrew's front paw, I mean, finger, he cut it off —"**_

_"— __**Pettigrew attacked Ron, it wasn't Sirius —"**_

_**But Dumbledore held up his hand to stem the flood of explanations.**_

_"__**It is your turn to listen, and I beg you will not interrupt me, because there is very little time," he said quietly. "There is not a shred of proof to support Black's story, except your word — and the word of two thirteen-year-old wizards will not convince anybody. A street full of eyewitnesses swore they saw Sirius murder Pettigrew. I myself gave evidence to the Ministry that Sirius had been the Potters' Secret-Keeper."**_

_"__**Professor Lupin can tell you —" Harry said, unable to stop himself**_

_"__**Professor Lupin is currently deep in the forest, unable to tell anyone anything. By the time he is human again, it will be too late, Sirius will be worse than dead. I might add that werewolves are so mistrusted by most of our kind that his support will count for very little and the fact that he and Sirius are old friends —"**_

_"__**But —"**_

_"__**Listen to me, Harry. It is too late, you understand me? You must see that Professor Snape's version of events is far more convincing than yours."**_

_"__**He hates Sirius," Hermione said desperately. "All because of some stupid trick Sirius played on him —"**_

"Erm…that was more then one." Sirius said while grinning sheepishly.

_"__**Sirius has not acted like an innocent man. The attack on the Fat Lady — entering Gryffindor Tower with a knife — without Pettigrew, alive or dead, we have no chance of overturning Sirius's sentence."**_

At those fact reminders everyone groaned, at least they knew that Sirius will live.

_"__**But you believe us."**_

_"__**Yes, I do," said Dumbledore quietly. "But I have no power to make other men see the truth, or to overrule the Minister of Magic…"**_

_**Harry stared up into the grave face and felt as though the ground beneath him were falling sharply away.**_

"Oh Harry…" Lily said sadly, she really wished to be able to comfort her son.

_**He had grown used to the idea that Dumbledore could solve**__**anything.**_

"He like everyone at that time failed to realize that Dumbledore is also human and thus isn't invincible or always right in anything." Al sneered, he hated such things when someone made practiculary a God out of a human.

"That is true, all humans can fail or be wrong sometimes."

_"__**But you believe us."**_

_"__**Yes, I do," said Dumbledore quietly. "But I have no power to make other men see the truth, or to overrule the Minister of Magic…"**_

_**Harry stared up into the grave face and felt as though the ground beneath him were falling sharply away. He had grown used to the idea that Dumbledore could solve**__**anything. He had expected Dumbledore to pull some amazing solution out of the air. But no… their last hope was gone.**_

_"__**What we need," said Dumbledore slowly, and his light blue eyes moved from Harry to Hermione, "is more time."**_

_"__**But —" Hermione began. And then her eyes became very round. "OH!"**_

At this looked the kids confused while the adults smirked knowingly.

"You recon they know something we don't?" Rudolphus whispered to Bellatrix who only shrugged.

_"__**Now, pay attention," said Dumbledore, speaking very low, and very clearly. "Sirius is locked in Professor Flitwick's office on the seventh floor. Thirteenth window from the right of the West Tower. If all goes well, you will be able to save more than one innocent life tonight. **_

"What does that mean?" Sirius questioned, but no one answered.

_**But remember this, both of you: you must not be seen. Miss Granger, you know the law — you know what is at stake… You — must — not — be —seen."**_

_**Harry didn't have a clue what was going on.**_

"You aren't the only one Prongslet." Sirius said while the others nodded.

_**Dumbledore had turned on his heel and looked back as he reached the door.**_

_"__**I am going to lock you in. It is —" he consulted his watch, "five minutes to midnight. Miss Granger, three turns should do it. Good luck."**_

_"__**Good luck?" Harry repeated as the door closed behind Dumbledore. "Three turns? What's he talking about? What are we supposed to do?"**_

_**But Hermione was fumbling with the neck of her robes, pulling from beneath them a very long, very fine gold chain.**_

_"__**Harry, come here," she said urgently. "Quick!"**_

_**Harry moved toward her, completely bewildered.**_

_**She was holding the chain out. He saw a tiny, sparkling hourglass hanging from it.**_

At this everyone gasped in realization.

"She has a Time-Turner!" Ted gasped.

"Of course it is allowed each Head of House to give one to a student who decides to take some _extra _classes, but they are forbidden to tell anyone. Also both the Headmaster and Deputy can give one out." Al explained.

"That is brilliant, not only can they save Sirius, but also Buckbeak." exclaimed James excitedly.

_"__**Here —"**_

_**She had thrown the chain around his neck too.**_

_"__**Ready?" she said breathlessly.**_

_"__**What are we doing?" Harry said, completely lost.**_

Everyone started snickering at this.

_**Hermione turned the hourglass over three times.**_

_**The dark ward dissolved. Harry had the sensation that he was flying very fast, backward. A blur of colors and shapes rushed past him, his ears were pounding, he tried to yell but couldn't hear his own voice —**_

_**And then he felt solid ground beneath his feet, and everything came into focus again —**_

_**He was standing next to Hermione in the deserted entrance hall and a stream of golden sunlight was falling across the paved floor from the open front doors. He looked wildly around at Hermione, the chain of the hourglass cutting into his neck.**_

"Brilliant, what we could do with one."

"Don't you even dare Sirius Black."

_**"Hermione, what —?"**_

_"__**In here!" Hermione seized Harry's arm and dragged him across the hall to the door of a broom closet; she opened it, pushed him inside among the buckets and mops, then slammed the door behind them.**_

Everyone started snickering.

"You know if it weren't for the saving action this could be so misunderstandable." Narcissa said giggling.

_**"What — how — Hermione, what happened?"**_

"He would be the only bloke asking that from a girl while they are locked in a broom closet." Remus said while shaking his head grinning.

"Prongs, if you don't mind I will try also to teach him about the proper reaction in such a situation.

"Thanks Padfoot."

"Men."

"Yes Lily-flower?"

"Let Lucius read James."

"Thank you."

_**"We've gone back in time," Hermione whispered, lifting the chain off Harry's neck in the darkness. "Three hours back…"**_

_**Harry found his own leg and gave it a very hard pinch.**_

"And how long did he fumble in the dark?" Sirius asked grinning.

"SIRIUS!" yelled everyone.

_**It hurt a lot, which seemed to rule out the possibility that he was having a very bizarre dream.**_

_"__**But —"**_

_"__**Shh! Listen! Someone's coming! I think — I think it might be us!" Hermione had her ear pressed against the cupboard door.**_

_"__**Footsteps across the hall… yes, I think it's us going down to Hagrid's!"**_

_"__**Are you telling me," Harry whispered, "that we're here in this cupboard and we're out there too?"**_

"In short, yes." they said in union.

_"__**Yes," said Hermione, her ear still glued to the cupboard door. "I'm sure it's us. It doesn't sound like more than three people… and we're walking slowly because we're under the Invisibility Cloak — " She broke off, still listening intently. "We've gone down the front steps…"**_

_**Hermione sat down on an upturned bucket, looking desperately anxious, but Harry wanted a few questions answered.**_

_"__**Where did you get that hourglass thing?"**_

_"__**It's called a Time-Turner," Hermione whispered, "and I got it from Professor McGonagall on our first day back. I've been using it all year to get to all my lessons. Professor McGonagall made me swear I wouldn't tell anyone. **_

"Which is the norm, but this situation allows it to tell." Al pointed out.

_**She had to write all sorts of letters to the Ministry of Magic so I could have one. She had to tell them that I was a model student, and that I'd never, ever use it for anything except my studies…**_

"It is a long process believe us." Scorpius said sighing.

_**I've been turning it back so I could do hours over again, that's how I've been doing several lessons at once, see? But…**_

_"__**Harry, I don't understand what Dumbledore wants us to do. Why did he tell us to go back three hours? How's that going to help Sirius?"**_

"She doesn't know?" James asked in disbelief.

"Aunt Mione is just like Rosie give her something no one else could find and she solves it in a minute or two, but things that are right in front of her face well she never gets the obvious." Al said smiling fondly.

"In other words she is a complicated type of person unlike others."

_**Harry stared at her shadowy face.**_

_"__**There must be something that happened around now he wants us to change," he said slowly. "What happened? We were walking down to Hagrid's three hours ago…"**_

_"__**This is three hours ago, and we are walking down to Hagrid's," said Hermione. "We just heard ourselves leaving…"**_

_**Harry frowned; he felt as though he were screwing up his whole brain in concentration.**_

_"__**Dumbledore just said — just said we could save more than one innocent life…" And then it hit him. "Hermione, we're going to save Buckbeak!"**_

"Finally they got it." Lily said smiling.

_"__**But — how will that help Sirius?"**_

At this all kids looked at each other before breaking out laughing while the parents only groaned, but they still smiled a little.

"Padfoot, this is bloody brilliant." James said laughing.

"You tell me? I'm escaping right under the Ministry's nose with a Hippogriff." Sirius answered laughing.

After everyone calmed down could Lucius continue.

_"__**Dumbledore said — he just told us where the window is — the window of Flitwick's office! Where they've got Sirius locked up! We've got to fly Buckbeak up to the window and rescue Sirius! Sirius can escape on Buckbeak — they can escape together!"**_

_**From what Harry could see of Hermione's face, she looked terrified.**_

"She isn't practiculary fond of flying." Al explained while everyone nodded.

_"__**If we manage that without being seen, it'll be a miracle!"**_

_"__**Well, we've got to try, haven't we?" said Harry. He stood up and pressed his ear against the door. "Doesn't sound like anyone's there… Come on, let's go."**_

_**Harry pushed open the closet door. The entrance hall was deserted. As quietly and quickly as they could, they darted out of the closet and down the stone steps. The shadows were already lengthening, the tops of the trees in the Forbidden Forest gilded once more with gold.**_

_"__**If anyone's looking out of the window —" Hermione squeaked, looking up at the castle behind them.**_

_"__**We'll run for it," said Harry determinedly. "Straight into the forest, all right? We'll have to hide behind a tree or something and keep a lookout —"**_

_"__**Okay, but we'll go around by the greenhouses!' said Hermione breathlessly. "We need to keep out of sight of Hagrid's front door, or we'll see us! We must be nearly at Hagrid's by now!"**_

"I think she was unconsciously thinking about the stories of doppelgangers." Scorpius said.

"What are those and why would she feel scared because of them?" Alice asked.

"Well according to most books are doppelganger a tangible double of a living person that typically represents evil. They are often perceived as a sinister form of apparition and generally regarded as harbingers of bad luck. In some traditions, a doppelganger seen by a person's friends or relatives portends illness or danger, while seeing one's own doppelganger is an omen of death. In short, you see your doppelganger you die." Scorpius explained.

"Wow that is really scary." Alice said.

_**Still working out what she meant, Harry set off at a sprint, Hermione behind him. They tore across the vegetable gardens to the greenhouses, paused for a moment behind them, then set off again, fast as they could, skirting around the Whomping Willow, tearing toward the shelter of the forest…**_

_**Safe in the shadows of the trees, Harry turned around; seconds later, Hermione arrived beside him, panting.**_

_"__**Right," she gasped. "We need to sneak over to Hagrid's… Keep out of sight, Harry…"**_

_**They made their way silently through the trees, keeping to the very edge of the forest. Then, as they glimpsed the front of Hagrid's house, they heard a knock upon his door. They moved quickly behind a wide oak trunk and peered out from either side. Hagrid had appeared in his doorway, shaking and white, looking around to see who had knocked. And Harry heard his own voice.**_

_"__**It's us. We're wearing the Invisibility Cloak. Let us in and we can take it off."**_

_"__**Yeh shouldn've come!" Hagrid whispered. He stood back, then shut the door quickly.**_

_"__**This is the weirdest thing we've ever done," Harry said fervently.**_

"Well only in a slight way or weirdness yes in dangerous case no." Al replied while Lily groaned before glaring at James.

_"__**Let's move along a bit," Hermione whispered. "We need to get nearer to Buckbeak!"**_

_**They crept through the trees until they saw the nervous Hippogriff, tethered to the fence around Hagrid's pumpkin patch.**_

_"__**Now?" Harry whispered.**_

_"__**No!" said Hermione. "If we steal him now, those Committee people will think Hagrid set him free! We've got to wait until they've seen he's tied outside!"**_

_"__**That's going to give us about sixty seconds," said Harry. This was starting to seem impossible.**_

_**At that moment, there was a crash of breaking china from inside Hagrid's cabin.**_

_"__**That's Hagrid breaking the milk jug," Hermione whispered. "I'm going to find Scabbers in a moment —"**_

_**Sure enough, a few minutes later, they heard Hermione's shriek of surprise.**_

_"__**Hermione," said Harry suddenly, "what if we — we just run in there and grab Pettigrew —"**_

"Good idea, but it would blow your cower." Frank said.

"To bad actually." Sirius said.

_**"No!" said Hermione in a terrified whisper. "Don't you understand? We're breaking one of the most important wizarding laws! Nobody's supposed to change time, nobody! You heard Dumbledore, if we're seen —"**_

_"__**We'd only be seen by ourselves and Hagrid!"**_

_"__**Harry, what do you think you'd do if you saw yourself bursting into Hagrid's house?" said Hermione.**_

_"__**I'd — I'd think I'd gone mad," said Harry, "or I'd think there was some Dark Magic going on —"**_

Everyone nodded at this.

_"__**Exactly! You wouldn't understand, you might even attack yourself! Don't you see? Professor McGonagall told me what awful things have happened when wizards have meddled with time… Loads of them ended up killing their past or future selves by mistake!"**_

"Wow, that doppelganger theory truly fits." Lily said in shock.

_"__**Okay!" said Harry. "It was just an idea, I just thought —"**_

_**But Hermione nudged him and pointed toward the castle. Harry moved his head a few inches to get a clear view of the distant front doors. Dumbledore, Fudge, the old Committee member, and Macnair**_

Rosier shuddered at the unpleasant memory of being pinned against a wall while the other tried to kiss him a few seconds before he managed to escape.

"What is with him?" Alphonse asked his son while looking at the slightly green blunette.

"Erm…let's just say that the executor had a major unreturned crush on him." James replied.

_**the executioner were coming down the steps.**_

_"__**We're about to come out!" Hermione breathed.**_

_**And sure enough, moments later, Hagrid's back door opened, and Harry saw himself, Ron, and Hermione walking out of it with Hagrid. It was, without a doubt, the strangest sensation of his life, **_

_**standing behind the tree, and watching himself in the pumpkin patch.**_

_"__**It's Okay, Beaky, it's okay…" Hagrid said to Buckbeak. Then he turned to Harry, Ron, and Hermione. "Go on. Get goin'."**_

_**"Hagrid, we can't —"**_

_"__**We'll tell them what really happened —"**_

_"__**They can't kill him —"**_

_"__**Go! It's bad enough without you lot in trouble an' all!"**_

_**Harry watched the Hermione in the pumpkin patch throw the Invisibility Cloak over him and Ron.**_

_"__**Go quick. Don' listen…"**_

_**There was a knock on Hagrid's front door. The execution party had arrived. Hagrid turned, around and headed back into his cabin, leaving the back door ajar. Harry watched the grass flatten in patches all around the cabin and heard three pairs of feet retreating. He, Ron, and Hermione had gone… but the Harry and Hermione hidden in the trees could now hear what was happening inside the cabin through the back door.**_

"Wait" said Sirius suddenly "so that is why you three were grinning you knew the two of them were already hiding there and that is why Buckbeak was so confused."

"Correct." come the trio's reply.

_"__**Where is the beast?" came the cold voice of Macnair.**_

"You are the beast." Rosier snapped surprising everyone.

"He really had a problem with him crushing after him." James said in a stunned tone.

"Then he must have certainly loved seeing him again by the Death Eaters." Al whispered to his friends.

_"__**Out — outside," Hagrid croaked.**_

_**Harry pulled his head out of sight as Macnair's face appeared**_

Rosier made a disgusted sound.

_**at Hagrid's window, staring out at Buckbeak. Then they heard Fudge.**_

_"__**We — er — have to read you the official notice of execution, Hagrid. I'll make it quick. And then you and Macnair need to sign it. Macnair, You're supposed to listen too, that's procedure-"**_

_**Macnair's face vanished from the window. It was now or never.**_

_"__**Wait here," Harry whispered to Hermione. "I'll do it."**_

_**As Fudge's voice started again, Harry darted out from behind his tree, vaulted the fence into the pumpkin patch, and approached Buckbeak.**_

_"__**It is the decision of the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures that the Hippogriff Buckbeak, hereafter called the condemned, shall he executed on the sixth of June at sundown—"**_

_**Careful not to blink, Harry stared up into Buckbeak's fierce orange eyes once more and bowed. Buckbeak sank to his scaly knees and then stood up again. Harry began to fumble with the knot of rope tying Buckbeak to the fence.**_

_"… __**sentenced to execution by beheading, to be carried out by the Committee's appointed executioner, Walden Macnair…"**_

_"__**Come on, Buckbeak," Harry murmured, "come on, we're going to help you. Quietly… quietly…"**_

_"… __**as witnessed below. Hagrid, you sign here…"**_

_**Harry threw all his weight onto the rope, but Buckbeak had dug in his front feet.**_

"Please move." Lily and Narcissa pleaded.

_"__**Well, let's get this over with," said the reedy voice of the Committee member from inside Hagrid's cabin. "Hagrid, perhaps it will be better if you stay inside —"**_

_"__**No, I — I wan' ter be with him… I don' wan' him ter be alone —"**_

_**Footsteps echoed from within the cabin.**_

_"__**Buckbeak, move!" Harry hissed.**_

"Yes please move."

_**Harry tugged harder on the rope around Buckbeak's neck. The Hippogriff began to walk, rustling its wings irritably. They were still ten feet away from the forest, in plain view of Hagrid's back door.**_

_"__**One moment, please, Macnair," came Dumbledore's voice. "You need to sign too." The footsteps stopped. Harry heaved on the rope. Buckbeak snapped his beak and walked a little faster.**_

"I think Dumbledore already knew they were there." Rudolphus said while the others nodded.

_**Hermione's white face was sticking out from behind a tree.**_

_"__**Harry, hurry!" she mouthed.**_

_**Harry could still hear Dumbledore's voice talking from within the cabin. He gave the rope another wrench. Buckbeak broke into a grudging trot. They had reached the trees…**_

_"__**Quick! Quick!" Hermione moaned, darting out from behind her tree, seizing the rope too and adding her weight to make Buckbeak move faster. Harry looked over his shoulder; they were now blocked from sight; they couldn't see Hagrid's garden at all.**_

_"__**Stop!" he whispered to Hermione. "They might hear us."**_

_**Hagrid's back door had opened with a bang. Harry, Hermione, and Buckbeak stood quite still; even the Hippogriff seemed to be listening intently. Silence… then —**_

_"__**Where is it?" said the reedy voice of the Committee member. "Where is the beast?"**_

_"__**It was tied here!" said the executioner furiously. "I saw it! Just here!"**_

"To bad for you Macny, no poor victim to play with." Rosier said grinning evilly.

"I'm starting to worry about him." Aractus whispered to his fellow Slytherin who nodded in agreement.

_"__**How extraordinary," said Dumbledore. There was a note of amusement in his voice.**_

_"__**Beaky!" said Hagrid huskily.**_

_**There was a swishing noise, and the thud of an axe. The executioner seemed to have swung it into the fence in anger. And then came the howling, and this time they could hear Hagrid's words through his sobs.**_

"Oh, so they heard that last time." Bellatrix said while everyone looked relieved.

_"__**Gone! Gone! Bless his little beak, he's gone! Musta pulled himself free! Beaky, yeh clever boy!"**_

_**Buckbeak started to strain against the rope, trying to get back to Hagrid. Harry and Hermione tightened their grip and dug their heels into the forest floor to stop him.**_

_"__**Someone untied him!" the executioner was snarling. "We should search the grounds, the forest."**_

Rosier was growling and Scorpius was mentally debating if he should give him a Calming Draught or not.

_"__**Macnair, if Buckbeak has indeed been stolen, do you really think the thief will have led him away on foot?" said Dumbledore, still sounding amused.**_

Everyone started laughing at that because this was the truth.

_"__**Search the skies, if you will… Hagrid, I could do with a cup of tea. Or a large brandy."**_

"Dumbledore!" the parents exclaimed while the kids laughed.

_"__**O' — o' course, Professor," said Hagrid, who sounded weak with happiness. "Come in, come in…"**_

_**Harry and Hermione listened closely. They heard footsteps, the soft cursing of the executioner, the snap of the door, and then silence once more.**_

_"__**Now what?" whispered Harry, looking around.**_

_"__**We'll have to hide in here," said Hermione, who looked very shaken. "We need to wait until they've gone back to the castle. Then we wait until it's safe to fly Buckbeak up to Sirius's window. He won't be there for another couple of hours… Oh, this is going to be difficult…"**_

_**She looked nervously over her shoulder into the depths of the forest. The sun was setting now.**_

_"__**We're going to have to move," said Harry, thinking hard. "We've got to be able to see the Whomping Willow, or we won't know what's going on."**_

"Good idea Harry, Lily's brains are showing through again." Remus said smiling while Sirius sniggered beside him.

"Oi, I'm smart." James snapped.

"Sure James." Lily said while patting him on the head, the other meanwhile were laughing.

_"__**Okay," said Hermione, getting a firmer grip on Buckbeak's rope. "But we've got to keep out of sight, Harry, remember…"**_

_**They moved around the edge of the forest, darkness falling thickly around them, until they were hidden behind a clump of trees through which they could make out the Willow.**_

_"__**There's Ron!" said Harry suddenly.**_

_**A dark figure was sprinting across the lawn and its shout echoed through the still night air.**_

_"__**Get away from him — get away — Scabbers, come here —"**_

_**And then they saw two more figures materialize out of nowhere. Harry watched himself and Hermione chasing after Ron. Then he saw Ron dive.**_

_"__**Gotcha! Get off, you stinking cat —"**_

_"__**There's Sirius!" said Harry. The great shape of the dog had bounded out from the roots of the Willow. They saw him bowl Harry over, then seize on…**_

_"__**Looks even worse from here, doesn't it?" said Harry, watching the dog pulling Ron into the roots. **_

Sirius let his head drop again before Narcissa hit him over the head.

"We all already went over this Sirius." she snapped at her cousin who was rubbing his head.

"You know that you can hit pretty hard?" he asked her.

"So I was told." was her only reply at which her mother and sisters stared at her strangely. Who could have she hit in the past?

_"__**Ouch — look, I just got walloped by the tree — and so did you — this is weird —"**_

_**The Whomping Willow was creaking and lashing out with its lower branches; they could see themselves darting here and there, trying to reach the trunk. And then the tree froze.**_

_"__**That was Crookshanks pressing the knot," said Hermione.**_

_"__**And there we go…" Harry muttered. "We're in."**_

_**The moment they disappeared, the tree began to move again. Seconds later, they heard footsteps quite close by. Dumbledore, Macnair, Fudge, and the old Committee member were making their way up to the castle.**_

_"__**Right after we'd gone down into the passage!" said Hermione. "If only Dumbledore had come with us…"**_

_"__**Macnair and Fudge would've come too," said Harry bitterly. "I bet you anything Fudge would've told Macnair to murder Sirius on the spot…"**_

"And that slimy kissing bastard would have done it with pleasure." Rosier hissed at which Scorpius stood up.

"That's it, grandfather, please continue while I make him drink a Calming Draught." Scorpius said while stroding over to the still glaring blunette.

_**They watched the four men climb the castle steps and disappear from view. For a few minutes the scene was deserted. Then —**_

_"__**Here comes Lupin!" said Harry as they saw another figure sprinting down the stone steps and halting toward the Willow. Harry looked up at the sky. Clouds were obscuring the moon completely.**_

_**They watched Lupin seize a broken branch from the ground and prod the knot on the trunk. The tree stopped fighting, and Lupin, too, disappeared into the gap in its roots.**_

_"__**If he'd only grabbed the cloak," said Harry. "It's just lying there…"**_

"Harry, I think I had other things on my mind then to notice your father's cloak laying there." Remus said.

_**He turned to Hermione.**_

_"__**If I just dashed out now and grabbed it, Snape'd never be able to get it and —"**_

_"__**Harry, we mustn't be seen!"**_

_"__**How can you stand this?" he asked Hermione fiercely. "Just standing here and watching it happen?" He hesitated. "I'm going to grab the cloak!"**_

_"__**Harry, no!"**_

_**Hermione seized the back of Harry's robes not a moment too soon. Just then, they heard a burst of song. It was Hagrid, making his way up to the castle, singing at the top of his voice, and weaving slightly as he walked. A large bottle was swinging from his hands.**_

_"__**See?" Hermione whispered. "See what would have happened? We've got to keep out of sight! No, Buckbeak!"**_

"Poor girl she is trying to hold both a male Potter and a Hippogriff in place." Allana said.

"Allana/mom!"

_**The Hippogriff was making frantic attempts to get to Hagrid again; Harry seized his rope too, straining to hold Buckbeak back. They watched Hagrid meander tipsily up to the castle. He was gone. Buckbeak stopped fighting to get away. His head drooped sadly.**_

_**Barely two minutes later, the castle doors flew open yet again, and Snape came charging out of them, running toward the Willow.**_

_**Harry's fists clenched as they watched Snape skid to a halt next to the tree, looking around. He grabbed the cloak and held it up.**_

_"__**Get your filthy hands off it," Harry snarled under his breath.**_

A few people let out soft growls.

_"__**Shh!"**_

_**Snape seized the branch Lupin had used to freeze the tree, prodded the knot, and vanished from view as he put on the cloak.**_

_"__**So that's it," said Hermione quietly. "We're all down there… and now we've just got to wait until we come back up again…"**_

"And they started a snogging session while waiting." Sirius said happily.

"SIRIUS!"

"Well to be honest while reading these books I saw more hints between them then in the case of my uncle and mom." Al said in a thoughtful tone while everyone stared at him wide eyed. "Thought you will see what I mean." he finished grinning.

_**She took the end of Buckbeak's rope and tied it securely around the nearest tree, then sat down on the dry ground, arms around her knees.**_

_"__**Harry, there's something I don't understand… Why didn't the Dementors get Sirius? I remember them coming, and then I think I passed out… there were so many of them…"**_

_**Harry sat down too. He explained what he'd seen; how, as the nearest Dementor had lowered its mouth to Harry's, a large silver something had come galloping across the lake and forced the Dementors to retreat.**_

_**Hermione's mouth was slightly open by the time Harry had finished.**_

"We can understand you dear." Molly said softly.

_"__**But what was it?"**_

_"__**There's only one thing it could have been, to make the Dementors go," said Harry. "A real Patronus. A powerful one."**_

_"__**But who conjured it?"**_

_**Harry didn't say anything. He was thinking back to the person he'd seen on the other bank of the lake. He knew who he thought it had been… but how could it have been?**_

Everyone was now leaning closer to the book curiously when Lucius suddenly shook his head.

"I highly doubt it to be possible." he said continuing before anyone could ask.

_"__**Didn't you see what they looked like?" said Hermione eagerly. "Was it one of the teachers?"**_

_"__**No," said Harry. "He wasn't a teacher."**_

_"__**But it must have been a really powerful wizard, to drive all those Dementors away… If the Patronus was shining so brightly, didn't it light him up? Couldn't you see —?"**_

_"__**Yeah, I saw him," said Harry slowly. "But… maybe I imagined it… I wasn't thinking straight… I passed out right afterward…"**_

_"__**Who did you think it was?"**_

_"__**I think —" Harry swallowed, knowing how strange this was going to sound. "I think it was my dad."**_

Everyone stared blinking at the book before looking sadly down knowing that it was impossible for James to be there.

"I think he may have seen himself." Petunia said softly.

"It fits seeing that Harry looks similar to James and from that distance and the fact that it was already late he couldn't see the others age and eyes." Frank said while the others nodded.

_**Harry glanced up at Hermione and saw that her mouth was fully open now. She was gazing at him with a mixture of alarm and pity.**_

_"__**Harry, your dad's — well — dead," she said quietly.**_

"Exactly, thought we are currently working n changing that." Sirius said.

_"__**I know that," said Harry quickly.**_

_"__**You think you saw his ghost?"**_

_"__**I don't know… no… he looked solid…"**_

_"__**But then —"**_

_"__**Maybe I was seeing things," said Harry. "But… from what I could see… it looked like him… I've got photos of him…"**_

_**Hermione was still looking at him as though worried about his sanity.**_

"How nice." James muttered.

_"__**I know it sounds crazy," said Harry flatly. He turned to took at Buckbeak, who was digging his beak into the ground, apparently searching for worms. But he wasn't really watching Buckbeak.**_

_**He was thinking about his father and about his father's three oldest friends… Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs… Had all four of them been out on the grounds tonight? Wormtail had reappeared this evening when everyone had thought he was dead… Was it so impossible his father had done the same? **_

"No, because then you would have grown up with me Padfoot and Moony." James said smiling sadly.

_**Had he been seeing things across the take? The figure had been too far away to see distinctly… yet he had felt sure, for a moment, before he'd lost consciousness…**_

_**The leaves overhead rustled faintly in the breeze. The moon drifted in and out of sight behind the shifting clouds. Hermione sat with her face turned toward the Willow, waiting.**_

_**And then, at last, after over an hour…**_

_"__**Here we come!" Hermione whispered.**_

_**She and Harry got to their feet. Buckbeak raised his head. They saw Lupin, Ron, and Pettigrew clambering awkwardly out of the hole in the roots. Then came Hermione… then the unconscious Snape, drifting weirdly upward. Next came Harry and Black. They all began to walk toward the castle.**_

_**Harry's heart was starting to beat very fast. He glanced up at the sky. Any moment now, that cloud was going to move aside and show the moon…**_

Remus flinched again.

_"__**Harry," Hermione muttered as though she knew exactly what he was thinking, "we've got to stay put. We mustn't be seen. There's nothing we can do…"**_

_"__**So we're just going to let Pettigrew escape all over again…" said Harry quietly.**_

Everyone hung they heads sadly knowing the answer already.

_"__**How do you expect to find a rat in the dark?" snapped Hermione. "There's nothing we can do! We came back to help Sirius; we're not supposed to be doing anything else!"**_

_"__**All right!"**_

_**The moon slid out from behind its cloud. They saw the tiny figures across the grounds stop. Then they saw movement —**_

_"__**There goes Lupin," Hermione whispered. "He's transforming."**_

_"__**Hermione!" said Harry suddenly. "We've got to move!"**_

"Noo, they are right in my path." Remus said in panic.

_"__**We mustn't, I keep telling you —"**_

_"__**Not to interfere! Lupin's going to run into the forest, right at us!"**_

_**Hermione gasped.**_

_"__**Quick!" she moaned, dashing to untie Buckbeak. "Quick! Where are we going to go? Where are we going to hide? The Dementors will be coming any moment —"**_

_"__**Back to Hagrid's!" Harry said. "It's empty now — come on!"**_

_**They ran as fast as they could, Buckbeak cantering along behind them. They could hear the werewolf howling behind them…**_

_**The cabin was in sight; Harry skidded to the door, wrenched it open, and Hermione and Buckbeak flashed past him; Harry threw himself in after them and bolted the door. Fang the boarhound barked loudly.**_

_"__**Shh, Fang, it's us!" said Hermione, hurrying over and scratching his ears to quieten him. "That was really close!" she said to Harry.**_

_"__**Yeah…"**_

_**Harry was looking out of the window. It was much harder to see what was going on from here. Buckbeak seemed very happy to find himself back inside Hagrid's house. He lay down in front of the fire, folded his wings contentedly, and seemed ready for a good nap.**_

_"__**I think I'd better go outside again, you know," said Harry slowly. "I can't see what's going on — we won't know when it's time —"**_

_**Hermione looked up. Her expression was suspicious.**_

"She knows him so well." they said in a sing-song voice.

_"__**I'm not going to try and interfere," said Harry quickly. **_

Everyone snickered.

_**"But if we don't see what's going on, how're we going to know when it's time to rescue Sirius?"**_

_"__**Well… okay, then… I'll wait here with Buckbeak… but Harry, be careful — there's a werewolf out there — and the Dementors."**_

_**Harry stepped outside again and edged around the cabin. He could hear yelping in the distance. That meant the Dementors were closing in on Sirius… He and Hermione would be running to him any moment…**_

_**Harry stared out toward the lake, his heart doing a kind of drumroll in his chest… Whoever had sent that Patronus would be appearing at any moment…**_

_**For a fraction of a second he stood, irresolute, in front of Hagrid's door. You must not be seen. But he didn't want to be seen. He wanted to do the seeing… He had to know…**_

_**And there were the Dementors. They were emerging out of the darkness from every direction, gliding around the edges of the lake… They were moving away from where Harry stood, to the opposite bank… He wouldn't have to get near them…**_

"Which makes it easier to cast the spell." Abraxas added in.

_**Harry began to run. He had no thought in his head except his father… If it was him… if it really was him… he had to know, had to find out…**_

_**The lake was coming nearer and nearer, but there was no sign of anybody. On the opposite bank, he could see tiny glimmers of silver — his own attempts at a Patronus —**_

_**There was a bush at the very edge of the water. Harry threw himself behind it, peering desperately through the leaves. On the opposite bank, the glimmers of silver were suddenly extinguished. A terrified excitement shot through him — any moment now —**_

_"__**Come on!" he muttered, staring about. "Where are you? Dad, come on —"**_

"Harry, it won't happen, I'm gone." James said sadly while both his mother and Lily hugged him.

_**But no one came. Harry raised his head to look at the circle of Dementors across the lake. One of them was lowering its hood. It was time for the rescuer to appear — but no one was coming to help this time —**_

_**And then it hit him — he understood. He hadn't seen his father he had seen himself —**_

_**Harry flung himself out from behind the bush and pulled out his wand.**_

_"__**EXPECTO PATRONUM! " he yelled.**_

_**And out of the end of his wand burst, not a shapeless cloud of mist, but a blinding, dazzling, silver animal. He screwed up his eyes, trying to see what it was. It looked like a horse. It was galloping silently away from him, across the black surface of the lake. He saw it lower its head and charge at the swarming Dementors… Now it was galloping around and around the black shapes on the ground, and the Dementors were falling back, scattering, retreating into the darkness… They were gone.**_

"Well done." Alphonse said proudly while most of the children cheered.

_**The Patronus turned. It was cantering back toward Harry across the still surface of the water. It wasn't a horse. It wasn't a unicorn, either. It was a stag. It was shining brightly as the moon above… it was coming back to him…**_

"It looks like as if Harry really had been right that I have saved them on that night." James said with teas glistering in is eyes "I'm his Patronus." the others only smiled sadly at this.

"His mother's blood protected him from the killing curse while his father's Animagus from the Dementors." Alice said sadly.

_**It stopped on the bank. Its hooves made no mark on the soft ground as it stared at Harry with its large, silver eyes. Slowly, it bowed its antlered head. And Harry realized…"Prongs," he whispered.**_

Everyone was fighting they tears.

_**But as his trembling fingertips stretched toward the creature, it vanished.**_

_**Harry stood there, hand still outstretched. Then, with a great leap of his heart, he heard hooves behind him. He whirled around and saw Hermione dashing toward him, dragging Buckbeak behind her.**_

_"__**What did you do?" she said fiercely. "You said you were only going to keep a lookout!"**_

_"__**I just saved all our lives…" said Harry. "Get behind here behind this bush — I'll explain."**_

_**Hermione listened to what had just happened with her mouth open yet again.**_

_"__**Did anyone see you?"**_

_"__**Yes, haven't you been listening? I saw me but I thought I was my dad! It's okay!"**_

_"__**Harry, I can't believe it… You conjured up a Patronus that drove away all those Dementors! That's very, very advanced magic."**_

_"__**I knew I could do it this time," said Harry, "because I'd already done it… Does that make sense?"**_

_"__**I don't know — Harry, look at Snape!"**_

"Of course, someone needed to get everyone up to the castle." Severus said before looking at Sirius. "Sorry Black."

"It is fine, thought your future self will be furious when I get away." Sirius replied grinning.

"I'm sure about that."

_**Together they peered around the bush at the other bank. Snape had regained consciousness. He was conjuring stretchers and lifting the limp forms of Harry, Hermione, and Black onto them. A fourth stretcher, no doubt bearing Ron, was already floating at his side. Then, wand held out in front of him, he moved them away toward the castle.**_

_"__**Right, it's nearly time," said Hermione tensely, looking at her watch. "We've got about forty-five minutes until Dumbledore locks the door to the hospital wing. We've got to rescue Sirius and get back into the ward before anybody realizes we're missing…"**_

_**They waited, watching the moving clouds reflected in the lake, while the bush next to them whispered in the breeze. Buckbeak, bored, was ferreting for worms again.**_

_"__**Do you reckon he's up there yet?" said Harry, checking his watch. He looked up at the castle and began counting the windows to the right of the West Tower.**_

_"__**Look!" Hermione whispered. "Who's that? Someone's coming back out of the castle!"**_

"Huh? Who could it be?" James asked.

_**Harry stared through the darkness. The man was hurrying across the grounds, toward one of the entrances. Something shiny glinted in his belt.**_

_"__**Macnair!" said Harry. "The executioner! He's gone to get the Dementors! This is it, Hermione —"**_

_**Hermione put her hands on Buckbeak's back and Harry gave her a leg up. Then he placed his foot on one of the lower branches of the bush and climbed up in front of her. He pulled Buckbeak's rope back over his neck and tied it to the other side of his collar like reins.**_

_"__**Ready?" he whispered to Hermione. "You'd better hold on to me —"**_

_**He nudged Buckbeak's sides with his heels.**_

_**Buckbeak soared straight into the dark air. Harry gripped his flanks with his knees, feeling the great wings rising powerfully beneath them. Hermione was holding Harry very tight around the waist; he could hear her muttering, "Oh, no — I don't like this oh, I really don't like this —"**_

"She really isn't the flying type." James said grinning while shaking his head.

"At least she got an excuse to grope your son like he did in the broom closet."

"SIRIUS!"

_**Harry urged Buckbeak forward. They were gliding quietly toward the upper floors of the castle… Harry pulled hard on the left-hand side of the rope, and Buckbeak turned. Harry was trying to count the windows flashing past —**_

_"__**Whoa!" he said, pulling backward as hard as he could.**_

_**Buckbeak slowed down and they found themselves at a stop, unless you counted the fact that they kept rising up and down several feet as the Hippogriff beat his wings to remain airborne.**_

_"__**He's there!" Harry said, spotting Sirius as they rose up beside the window. He reached out, and as Buckbeak's wings fell, was able to tap sharply on the glass.**_

_**Black looked up. Harry saw his jaw drop. **_

Everyone laughed at this it must really have been a sight to behold seeing your godson riding on a Hippogriff.

_**He leapt from his chair, hurried to the window and tried to open it, but it was locked.**_

_"__**Stand back!" Hermione called to him, and she took out her wand, still gripping the back of Harry's robes with her left hand.**_

_"__**Alohomora!"**_

_**The window sprang open.**_

_"__**How — how —?" said Black weakly, staring at the Hippogriff.**_

More laughter could be heard at this.

_**"Get on — there's not much time," said Harry, gripping Buckbeak firmly on either side of his sleek neck to hold him steady. "You've got to get out of here — the Dementors are coming — Macnair's gone to get them."**_

_**Black placed a hand on either side of the window frame and heaved his head and shoulders out of it. It was very lucky he was so thin.**_

"Probably the first time I appreciated that." Sirius said.

"Don't complain you get your second spectacular escape." James said to his friend.

_**In seconds, he had managed to fling one leg over Buckbeak's back and pull himself onto the Hippogriff behind Hermione.**_

_"__**Okay, Buckbeak, up!" said Harry, shaking the rope. "Up to the tower — come on."**_

_**The Hippogriff gave one sweep of its mighty wings and they were soaring upward again, high as the top of the West Tower. Buckbeak landed with a clatter on the battlements, and Harry and Hermione slid off him at once.**_

_"__**Sirius, you'd better go, quick," Harry panted. "They'll reach Flitwick's office any moment, they'll find out you're gone."**_

_**Buckbeak pawed the ground, tossing his sharp head.**_

_"__**What happened to the other boy? Ron?" croaked Sirius.**_

_"__**He's going to be okay. He's still out of it, but Madam Pomfrey says she'll be able to make him better. Quick — go —"**_

_**But Black was still staring down at Harry.**_

_"__**How can I ever thank —"**_

"Padfoot not now." James, Remus and Peter groaned at the same time.

_"__**GO!" Harry and Hermione shouted together.**_

_**Black wheeled Buckbeak around, facing the open sky.**_

_"__**We'll see each other again," he said. "You are — truly your father's son, Harry…"**_

_**He squeezed Buckbeak's sides with his heels. Harry and Hermione jumped back as the enormous wings rose once more… The Hippogriff took off into the air… He and his rider became smaller and smaller as Harry gazed after them… then a cloud drifted across the moon… They were gone.**_

"So this was the end of the chapter, who wants to read the last one?" Lucius asked at which Lily grabbed the book from him.

"I think Tuney should have the honors." she said smiling to her older sister.

"Why not." Petunia replied shrugging as she accepted the book. "_**Owl Post Again" **_

_To be continued…_


	23. Petunia reads, Owl Post Again

A/N: Well guys this is the last chapter, I have no clue when I will get to write the fourth book, but we will see…

XXIII. Petunia reads, _**Owl Post Again**_

* * *

Everyone waited for Petunia to start reading so they could start with the next book.

_"__**Harry!"**_

_**Hermione was tugging at his sleeve, staring at her watch. "We've got exactly ten minutes to get back down to the hospital wing without anybody seeing us — before Dumbledore locks the door —"**_

_"__**Okay," said Harry, wrenching his gaze from the sky, "let's go…"**_

_**They slipped through the doorway behind them and down a tightly spiraling stone staircase. As they reached the bottom of it, they heard voices. They flattened themselves against the wall and listened. It sounded like Fudge and Snape. They were walking quickly along the corridor at the foot of the staircase.**_

_"… __**only hope Dumbledore's not going to make difficulties," Snape was saying. "The Kiss will be performed immediately?"**_

"I think my mood will be furious in a few minutes." Severus said smirking.

_"__**As soon as Macnair returns with the Dementors. This whole Black affair has been highly embarrassing. I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to informing the Daily Prophet that we've got him at last… I daresay they'll want to interview you, Snape… and once young Harry's back in his right mind, I expect he'll want to tell the Prophet exactly how you saved him…"**_

"I think he can be lucky that I'm good at acting and holding my self control there, that guy is annoying." Severus said.

"True, he is all for popularity." Sirius growled.

_**Harry clenched his teeth. He caught a glimpse of Snape's smirk as he and Fudge passed Harry and Hermione's hiding place. Their footsteps died away. Harry and Hermione waited a few moments to make sure they'd really gone, then started to run in the opposite direction. Down one staircase, then another, along a new corridor — then they heard a cackling ahead.**_

_"__**Peeves!" Harry muttered, grabbing Hermione's wrist. "In here!"**_

_**They tore into a deserted classroom to their left just in time.**_

Sirius opened his mouth again to comment, but the glares he received made him close it again.

_**Peeves seemed to be bouncing along the corridor in boisterous good spirits, laughing his head off.**_

_"__**Oh, he's horrible," whispered Hermione, her ear to the door. "I bet he's all excited because the Dementors are going to finish off Sirius…" She checked her watch. **_

"And here I thought that Peeves liked me." Sirius whined in disappointment.

_"__**Three minutes, Harry!"**_

_**They waited until Peeves's gloating voice had faded into the distance, then slid back out of the room and broke into a run again.**_

_"__**Hermione — what'll happen — if we don't get back inside before Dumbledore locks the door?" Harry panted.**_

"Lost alibi and a nice vacation in Azkaban." Lucius said.

"Harry, Hermione, get moving." James said in panic, he hadn't thought about that.

_"__**I don't want to think about it!" Hermione moaned, checking her watch again. "One minute!"**_

_**They had reached the end of the corridor with the hospital wing entrance. "Okay — I can hear Dumbledore," said Hermione tensely. "Come on, Harry!"**_

_**They crept along the corridor. The door opened. Dumbledore's back appeared.**_

_"__**I am going to lock you in," they heard him saying. "it is five minutes to midnight. Miss Granger, three turns should do it. Good luck."**_

_**Dumbledore backed out of the room, closed the door, and took out his wand to magically lock it. Panicking, Harry and Hermione ran forward. Dumbledore looked up, and a wide smile appeared under the long silver mustache. "Well?" he said quietly.**_

_"__**We did it!" said Harry breathlessly. "Sirius has gone, on Buckbeak…"**_

_**Dumbledore beamed at them.**_

_"__**Well done. I think —" He listened intently for any sound within the hospital wing. "Yes, I think you've gone too — get inside — I'll lock you in —"**_

"Brilliant."

"Well, I think we will only be a little bit harsh to him tomorrow." Allana said to both Daria and Druella.

_**Harry and Hermione slipped back inside the dormitory. It was empty except for Ron, who was still lying motionless in the end bed. As the lock clicked behind them, Harry and Hermione crept back to their own beds, Hermione tucking the Time-Turner back under her robes. A moment later, Madam Pomfrey came striding back out of her office.**_

_"__**Did I hear the headmaster leaving? Am I allowed to look after my patients now?"**_

_**She was in a very bad mood. Harry and Hermione thought it best to accept their chocolate quietly. **_

"Wise decision"everyone said in union.

_**Madam Pomfrey stood over them, making sure they ate it. But Harry could hardly swallow. He and Hermione were waiting, listening, their nerves jangling… And then, as they both took a fourth piece of chocolate from Madam Pomfrey, they heard a distant roar of fury echoing from somewhere above them…**_

"Wow, you must have been really upset that I left." Sirius said blinking.

"Well, Sev can be pretty loud if angry." Lucius replied grinning.

"And what about whe…"but Sirius didn't finish at the glare Devona sent him. "Nevermind, Petunia please continue."

_"__**What was that?" said Madam Pomfrey in alarm.**_

Everyone grinned while Severus was blushing.

_**Now they could hear angry voices, growing louder and louder. Madam Pomfrey was staring at the door.**_

_"__**Really — they'll wake everybody up! What do they think they're doing?"**_

_**Harry was trying to hear what the voices were saying. They were drawing nearer —**_

_"__**He must have Disapparated, Severus. **_

"Does that man really go to Hogwarts?" Ted asked with a raised eyebrow.

_**We should have left somebody in the room with him. When this gets out —"**_

_**"When this gets out...**_

_**"HE DIDN'T DISAPPARATE!" Snape roared, now very close at hand. "YOU CAN'T APPARATE OR DISAPPARATE INSIDE THIS CASTLE! THIS — HAS — SOMETHING — TO — DO — WITH — POTTER!"**_

"Seems like you know Harry well in this department." Lily said smiling.

_"__**Severus — be reasonable — Harry has been locked up —"**_

_**BAM.**_

_**The door of the hospital wing burst open.**_

"Way to make a dramatic entrance Sev." Rosier said happily, he was his usual annoyingly cheerful self again.

_**Fudge, Snape, and Dumbledore came striding into the ward. Dumbledore alone looked calm. Indeed, he looked as though he was quite enjoying himself.**_

"Which he probably did." Al said while massaging his temples.

_**Fudge appeared angry. But Snape was beside himself.**_

"I think we saw a great example for that by his grandson." Frank said.

_"__**OUT WITH IT, POTTER!" he bellowed. "WHAT DID YOU DO?"**_

_"__**Professor Snape!" shrieked Madam Pomfrey. "Control yourself!"**_

_"__**See here, Snape, be reasonable," said Fudge. "This door's been locked, we just saw —"**_

_"__**THEY HELPED HIM ESCAPE, I KNOW IT!" Snape howled, pointing at Harry and Hermione. His face was twisted; spit was flying from his mouth.**_

_"__**Calm down, man!" Fudge barked. "You're talking nonsense!"**_

_"__**YOU DON'T KNOW POTTER!" shrieked Snape. "HE DID IT, I KNOW HE DID IT —"**_

"They are lucky that you are frustrated enough to forget that you can make them drink Veritaserum." Andromeda said at which everyone sighed in relief.

_"__**That will do, Severus," said Dumbledore quietly. "Think about what you are saying. This door has been locked since I left the ward ten minutes ago. Madam Pomfrey, have these students left their beds?"**_

_"__**Of course not!" said Madam Pomfrey, bristling. "I would have heard them!"**_

Everyone was laughing at this again.

"That will certainly not faze me." Severus said grinning.

_"__**Well, there you have it, Severus," said Dumbledore calmly. "Unless you are suggesting that Harry and Hermione are able to be in two places at once, I'm afraid I don't see any point in troubling them further."**_

"Didn't he know about the time turner?" Frank asked confused.

"No, in such cases only the Head of House who gave it out and the current Headmaster know." Al explained.

"Good for them." Sirius said, he could never forgive himself if Harry would be arrested because of him.

_**Snape stood there, seething, staring from Fudge, who looked thoroughly shocked at his behavior, to Dumbledore, whose eyes were twinkling behind his glasses. Snape whirled about, robes swishing behind him, and stormed out of the ward.**_

_"__**Fellow seems quite unbalanced," said Fudge, staring after him. "I'd watch out for him if I were you, Dumbledore."**_

A few deem growls could be heard as suddenly Lucius, Severus, Narcissa, Al, Devona and Scorpius stood up and marched outside, the later three mumbling insults in parseltongue.

"Where are they going?" Allana asked her son.

"Just blowing up some steam on a puppet." he answered as suddenly many sounds of explosions drifted inside bout to screaming and insults.

It was half an hour later that everyone had returned panting heavily and Petunia could continue reading.

_"__**Oh, he's not unbalanced," said Dumbledore quietly. "He's just suffered a severe disappointment."**_

"How charming to hear." Severus mumbled.

_"__**He's not the only one!" puffed Fudge. "The Daily Prophet's going to have a field day!**_

"And who cares?"

_**We had Black cornered and he slipped through our fingers yet again!**_

"And in a pretty spectacular way."

_**All it needs now is for the story of that Hippogriff's escape to get out, and I'll be a laughingstock!**_

"Isn't it a bit too late for that?" questioned Remus with a raised eyebrow.

"Good one Moony." Sirius said laughing.

_**Well… I'd better go and notify the Ministry…"**_

_"__**And the Dementors?" said Dumbledore. "They'll be removed from the school, I trust?"**_

_"__**Oh yes, they'll have to go,"**_

Everyone cheered at that.

_**said Fudge, running his fingers distractedly through his hair. "Never dreamed they'd attempt to administer the Kiss on an innocent boy… Completely out of control… no, I'll have them packed off back to Azkaban tonight… Perhaps we should think about dragons at the school entrance…"**_

_"__**Hagrid would like that," said Dumbledore, smiling at Harry and Hermione. **_

"He wouldn't be the only one." Sirius said excitedly while the others only shook they heads at his childishness.

_**As he and Fudge left the dormitory, Madam Pomfrey hurried to the door and locked it again. Muttering angrily to herself, she headed back to her office.**_

_**There was a low moan from the other end of the ward. Ron had woken up. They could see him sitting up, rubbing his head, looking around.**_

_"__**What — what happened?" he groaned. "Harry? Why are we in here? Where's Sirius? Where's Lupin? What's going on?"**_

_**Harry and Hermione looked at each other.**_

_"__**You explain," said Harry, helping himself to some more chocolate.**_

At this Scorpius broke out laughing while Devona glared at a fidgeting Albus.

"I think they once had a similar situation where she needed to explain a long story." Alice whispered to Lily who nodded.

_**When Harry, Ron, and Hermione left the hospital wing at noon the next day, it was to find an almost deserted castle. The sweltering, heat and the end of the exams meant that everyone was taking full advantage of another Hogsmeade visit. Neither Ron nor Hermione felt like going, however, so they and Harry wandered onto the grounds, still talking about the extraordinary events of the previous night and wondering where Sirius and Buckbeak were now. Sitting near the lake, watching the giant squid waving its tentacles lazily above the water, Harry lost the thread of the conversation as he looked across to the opposite bank. The stag had galloped toward him from there just last night…**_

_**A shadow fell across them and they looked up to see a very bleary-eyed Hagrid, mopping his sweaty face with one of his tablecloth-sized handkerchiefs and beaming down at them.**_

_"__**Know I shouldn' feel happy, after wha' happened las' night," he said. "I mean, Black escapin' again, an, everythin' — but guess what?"**_

_"__**What?" they said, pretending to look curious.**_

_"__**Beaky! He escaped! He's free! Bin celebratin' all night!"**_

_"__**That's wonderful!" said Hermione, giving Ron a reproving look because he looked as though he was close to laughing.**_

_"__**Yeah… can't've tied him up properly," said Hagrid, gazing happily out over the grounds. "I was worried this mornin', mind… thought he mighta met Professor Lupin on the grounds, but Lupin says he never ate anythin' las' night…"**_

There was a loud groan from Severus as he looked apolitically at Remus.

"I'm sorry Remus, it seems that in my furry last night I had let your secret slip." he said to the other who gave him a kind smile.

"Don't worry about that." he said reassuringly "Seeing how my predecessors left because of that jinx I'm even lucky to leave with my body in one piece and my memories still present." Remus finished laughing.

"And don't worry dad had still brewed the potion for you even after you left and sent it to you." Devona said at which Remus looked glad.

_**"What?" said Harry quickly.**_

_"__**Blimey, haven' yeh heard?" said Hagrid, his smile fading a little. He lowered his voice, even though there was nobody in sight. "Er — Snape told all the Slytherins this mornin'… Thought everyone'd know by now… Professor Lupin's a werewolf, see. An' he was loose on the grounds las' **__**night… He's packin' now, o' course."**_

_"__**He's packing?" said Harry, alarmed. "Why?"**_

_"__**Leavin', isn' he?" said Hagrid, looking surprised that Harry had to ask. "Resigned firs' thing this mornin'. Says he can't risk it happenin again."**_

"See, I wasn't even sacked I resigned on my own."

"Yes because of your stupid fears." Sirius muttered.

"Sirius m…" Devona held her hand up to silence them.

"If you failed the hear it when it was mentioned I hear that often enough from my own special wards and I think you want this chapter finished this week." she stated before gesturing for Petunia to continue.

_**Harry scrambled to his feet.**_

_**"I'm going to see him," he said to Ron and Hermione.**_

_"__**But if he's resigned —"**_

_" — __**doesn't sound like there's anything we can do —"**_

_"__**I don't care. I still want to see him. I'll meet you back here."**_

Remus smiled at this warmly.

_**Lupin's office door was open. He had already packed most of his things. The Grindylow's empty tank stood next to his battered old suitcase, which was open and nearly full. Lupin was bending over something on his desk and looked up only when Harry knocked on the door.**_

_"__**I saw you coming," said Lupin, smiling. He pointed to the parchment he had been poring over. It was the Marauder's Map.**_

_"__**I just saw Hagrid," said Harry. "And he said you'd resigned. It's not true, is it?"**_

_"__**I'm afraid it is," said Lupin. He started opening his desk drawers and taking out the contents.**_

_"__**Why?" said Harry. "The Ministry of Magic don't think you were helping Sirius, do they?"**_

_**Lupin crossed to the door and closed it behind Harry.**_

_"__**No. Professor Dumbledore managed to convince Fudge that I was trying to save your lives." He sighed. "That was the final straw for Severus. **_

"Seeing how angry he already was is this no surprise, but he should have done that talk without Sev in there." Lucius said at which everyone's eyes widened.

"That man is just asking for it." Druella growled.

_**I think the loss of the Order of Merlin hit him hard. **_

"I doubt it." Severus said.

_**So he — er — accidentally let slip that I am a werewolf this morning at breakfast."**_

_"__**You're not leaving just because of that!" said Harry.**_

"Wow he really learned to know you pretty fast." James said smiling.

"Well, he is Lily's son after all." Remus said grinning.

"Hey! He is my son to!" James yelled while everyone started laughing.

_**Lupin smiled wryly.**_

_"__**This time tomorrow, the owls will start arriving from parents… They will not want a werewolf teaching their children, Harry. **_

_**And after last night, I see their point. I could have bitten any of you… That must never happen again."**_

_"__**You're the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher we've ever had!" said Harry. "Don't go!"**_

_**Lupin shook his head and didn't speak. He carried on emptying his drawers. Then, while Harry was trying to think of a good argument to make him stay, Lupin said, "From what the headmaster told me this morning, you saved a lot of lives last night, Harry. If I'm proud of anything I've done this year, it's how much you've learned… Tell me about your Patronus."**_

_"__**How d'you know about that?" said Harry, distracted.**_

_"__**What else could have driven the Dementors back?"**_

_**Harry told Lupin what had happened. When he'd finished, Lupin was smiling again.**_

_"__**Yes, your father was always a stag when he transformed," he said. "You guessed right… that's why we called him Prongs."**_

_**Lupin threw his last few books into his case, closed the desk drawers, and turned to look at Harry.**_

_"__**Here — I brought this from the Shrieking Shack last night," he said, handing Harry back the Invisibility Cloak. "And…" He hesitated, then **__**held out the Marauder's Map too. "I am no longer your teacher, so I don't feel guilty about giving you back this as well. It's no use to me, and I daresay you, Ron, and Hermione will find uses for it."**_

"Something tells me that they surely will." Lily said groaning, couldn't her son have atleast one normal school year?

_**Harry took the map and grinned.**_

Lily groaned while James grinned with Sirius.

_"__**You told me Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs would've wanted to lure me out of school… you said they'd have thought it was funny."**_

_"__**And so we would have," said Lupin, now reaching down to close his case. "I have no hesitation in saying that James would have been highly disappointed if his son had never found any of the secret passages out of the castle."**_

"Yes I would have." James smiled, ignoring the glare Lily sent at him.

_**There was a knock on the door. Harry hastily stuffed the Marauder's Map and the Invisibility Cloak into his pocket.**_

_**It was Professor Dumbledore. He didn't look surprised to see Harry there.**_

"Can that man actually be surprised by anything?" Alphonse asked.

_"__**Your carriage is at the gates, Remus," he said.**_

_"__**Thank You, Headmaster."**_

_**Lupin picked up his old suitcase and the empty Grindylow tank.**_

_"__**Well — good-bye, Harry," he said, smiling. "It has been a real pleasure teaching you. I feel sure we'll meet again sometime. Headmaster, there is no need to see me to the gates, I can manage…"**_

"Trying to get out of there as fast as you can," Sirius said grinning.

"Well, I don't wish to find out just how many Howlers can be delivered in one day." Remus replied grinning.

"That might be true and sadly thanks to me the whole staff will have the pleasure listening to them." Severus said groaning.

_**Harry had the impression that Lupin wanted to leave as quickly as possible.**_

_"__**Good-bye, then, Remus," said Dumbledore soberly. **_

_**Lupin shifted the Grindylow tank slightly so that he and Dumbledore could shake hands. Then, with a final nod to Harry and a swift smile, Lupin left the office.**_

_**Harry sat down in his vacated chair, staring glumly at the floor. He heard the door close and looked up. Dumbledore was still there.**_

_"__**Why so miserable, Harry?" he said quietly. "You should be very proud of yourself after last night."**_

_"__**It didn't make any difference," said Harry bitterly. "Pettigrew got away."**_

"Not everything goes always as we wanted it to be."

_"__**Didn't make any difference?" said Dumbledore quietly, "it made all the difference in the world, Harry. You helped uncover the truth. You saved an innocent man from a terrible fate."**_

_**Terrible. Something stirred in Harry's memory. Greater and more terrible than ever before… Professor Trelawney's prediction!**_

Everyone groaned at this remembering the prediction.

"I'm so terribly sorry everyone." Peter said sadly.

"It is fine Wormy." James said with a kind smile.

_"__**Professor Dumbledore — yesterday, when I was having my Divination exam, Professor Trelawney went very — very strange."**_

_"__**Indeed?" said Dumbledore. "Er — stranger than usual, you mean?"**_

This caused a few chuckles.

_"__**Yes… her voice went all deep and her eyes rolled and she said… she said Voldemort's servant was going to set out to return to him before midnight… She said the servant would help him come back to power." Harry stared up at Dumbledore. "And then she sort of became normal again, and she couldn't remember anything she'd said. Was it — was she making a real prediction?"**_

_**Dumbledore looked mildly impressed.**_

_"__**Do you know, Harry, I think she might have been." he said thoughtfully. "Who'd have thought it? That brings her total of real **__**predictions up to two. I should offer her a pay raise…"**_

"And he was oh so calm about the first one." Al said in an annoyed tone.

"It will be explained in the fifth book better and later in the seventh fully." Scorpius told them hurriedly before anyone could ask.

_"__**But —" Harry looked at him, aghast. How could Dumbledore take this so calmly?**_

"We neither."

_"__**But — I stopped Sirius and Professor Lupin from killing Pettigrew! That makes it my fault if Voldemort comes back!"**_

_"__**It does not," said Dumbledore quietly. "Hasn't your experience with the Time-Turner taught you anything, Harry? The consequences of our actions are always so complicated, so diverse, that predicting the future is a very difficult business indeed… Professor Trelawney, bless her, is living proof of that… You did a very noble thing, in saving Pettigrew's life."**_

_**Harry looked down at that, still not sure if he did the right thing.**_

_"__**But if he helps Voldemort back to power…"**_

_"__**Pettigrew owes his life to you. You have sent Voldemort a deputy who is in your debt…**_

"What does that mean?" Mr. Evans asked curiously as all magical people started grinning.

"It is explained here dad." Petunia told her father.

_**When one wizard saves another wizard's life, it creates a certain bond between them… and I'm much mistaken if Voldemort wants his servant in the debt of Harry Potter."**_

_"__**I don't want a connection with Pettigrew!" said Harry. "He betrayed my parents!"**_

_"__**This is magic at its deepest, its most impenetrable, Harry. But trust me… the time may come when you will be very glad you saved Pettigrew's life."**_

_**Harry couldn't imagine when that would be. Dumbledore looked as though he knew what Harry was thinking.**_

_**"I knew your father very well, both at Hogwarts and later, Harry," he said gently. "He would have saved Pettigrew too, I am sure of it."**_

"Of course." James stated.

_**Harry looked up at him. Dumbledore wouldn't laugh — he could tell Dumbledore…**_

_"__**I thought it was my dad who'd conjured my Patronus. I mean, when I saw myself across the lake… I thought I was seeing him."**_

_"__**An easy mistake to make," said Dumbledore softly. "I expect you'll tire of hearing it, but you do look extraordinarily like James. Except for the eyes… you have your mother's eyes."**_

_**Harry shook his head.**_

_"__**It was stupid, thinking it was him," he muttered. "I mean, I knew he was dead."**_

_"__**You think the dead we loved ever truly leave us? You think that we don't recall them more clearly than ever in times of great trouble? Your father is alive in you, Harry, and shows himself most plainly when you have need of him. How else could you produce that particular Patronus? Prongs rode again last night."**_

"He is right about tha…wait, did the Headmaster just call me Prongs?" James asked shocked.

"I think so mate." Sirius replied also shocked.

_**It took a moment for Harry to realize what Dumblefore had said.**_

_"__**Last night Sirius told me all about how they became Animagi," said Dumbledore, smiling. "An extraordinary achievement — not least, keeping it quiet from me. **_

"Thanks for the praise." the four trublemakers said smiling.

_**And then I remembered the most unusual form your Patronus took, when it charged Mr. Malfoy down at your Quidditch match against Ravenclaw. **_

This time Lucius was the one groaning while some of the others sniggered.

_**You know, Harry, in a way, you did see your father last night… You found him inside yourself."**_

James and Lily smiled fondly at they Headmaster's words.

_**And Dumbledore left the office, leaving Harry to his very confused thoughts.**_

_**Nobody at Hogwarts now knew the truth of what had happened the night that Sirius, Buckbeak, and Pettigrew had vanished except Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Professor Dumbledore. As the end of term approached, Harry heard many different theories about what had really happened, but none of them came close to the truth.**_

_**Malfoy was furious about Buckbeak. He was convinced that Hagrid had found a way of smuggling the Hippogriff to safety, and seemed outraged that he and his father had been outwitted by a gamekeeper. **_

"Draco Malfoy, just accept that kick to your pride." Lucius snapped.

_**Percy Weasley, meanwhile, had much to say on the subject of Sirius's escape.**_

_"__**If I manage to get into the Ministry, I'll have a lot of proposals to make about Magical Law Enforcement!" he told the only person who would listen — his girlfriend, Penelope.**_

_**Though the weather was perfect, though the atmosphere was so cheerful, though he knew they had achieved the near impossible in helping Sirius to freedom, Harry had never approached the end of a school year in worse spirits.**_

"Harry, there is no need to feel down."

_**He certainly wasn't the only one who was sorry to see Professor Lupin go. The whole of Harry's Defense Against the Dark Arts class was miserable about his resignation.**_

_"__**Wonder what they'll give us next year?" said Seamus Finnigan gloomily.**_

_"__**Maybe a vampire," suggested Dean Thomas hopefully.**_

The kids sniggered at this while the parents exchanged worried glances.

"Abraxas…"

"Daria, I'm certain the Headmaster doesn't know about Dimitri." Abraxas told his wife.

"Huh…"

"Ah yes I nearly forgot that Uncle Dimitri is a six hundred years old vampire." Lucius said at which many stared at the Malfoys with wide eyes.

"Lucius…"

"What is it James?" the blonde asked.

"We will also need to have to talk with you about yourself after Severus." he replied.

_**It wasn't only Professor Lupin's departure that was weighing on Harry's mind. He couldn't help thinking a lot about Professor Trelawney's prediction. He kept wondering where Pettigrew was now, whether he had sought sanctuary with Voldemort yet. But the thing that was lowering Harry's spirits most of all was the prospect of returning to the Dursleys. For maybe half an hour, a glorious half hour, he had believed he would be living with Sirius from now on… his parents' best friend… It would have been the next best thing to having his own father back.**_

Everyone smiled sadly at this while Sirius felt slightly touched at Harry's thoughts regarding him.

_**And while no news of Sirius was definitely good news, because it meant he had successfully gone into hiding, Harry couldn't help feeling miserable when he thought of the home he might have had, and the fact that it was now impossible.**_

_**The exam results came out on the last day of term. Harry, Ron, and Hermione had passed every subject. Harry was amazed that he had got through Potions. He had a shrewd suspicion that Dumbledore might have stepped in to stop Snape failing him on purpose.**_

"I doubt that it was needed." Severus said while the others sniggered about the image of Severus and Dumbledore fighting about if Harry should pass or fail.

_**Snape's behavior toward Harry over the past week had been quite alarming. Harry wouldn't have thought it possible that Snape's dislike for him could increase, but it certainly had. **_

At this both James and Sirius flinched.

"Atleast you would never kill a student." James said more to calm himself then to Severus.

_**A muscle twitched unpleasantly at the corner of Snape's thin mouth every time he looked at Harry, and he was constantly flexing his fingers, as though itching to place them around Harry's throat.**_

"Certainly angry." replied Lucius, Scorpius and Al at the same time.

"With who was Devona that angry?" Alice asked.

"My brother." was Al's short reply.

_**Percy had got his top-grade N.E.W.T.s; Fred and George had scraped a handful of O.W.L.s each. **_

Molly beamed at this proudly.

_**Gryffindor House, meanwhile, largely thanks to their spectacular performance in the Quidditch Cup, had won the House championship for the third year running.**_

At this the Gryffindors cheered.

_**This meant that the end of term feast took place amid decorations of scarlet and gold, and that the Gryffindor table was the noisiest of the lot, as everybody celebrated. Even Harry managed to forget about the journey back to the Dursleys the next day as he ate, drank, talked, and laughed with the rest.**_

_**As the Hogwarts Express pulled out of the station the next morning, Hermione gave Harry and Ron some surprising news.**_

_"__**I went to see Professor McGonagall this morning, just before breakfast. I've decided to drop Muggle Studies."**_

_"__**But you passed your exam with three hundred and twenty percent!" said Ron.**_

"That girl is too brilliant for her own good." Abraxas groaned when he suddenly noticed everyone staring at him wide eyed. "What?"

"Nothing." replied everyone hurriedly as they turned they gazes back to the book.

_"__**I know," sighed Hermione, "but I can't stand another year like this one. That Time-Turner, it was driving me mad. I've handed it in. Without Muggle Studies and Divination, I'll be able to have a normal schedule again."**_

"Even without those two those are still many lessons." Ted said.

_"__**I still can't believe you didn't tell us about it," said Ron grumpily. "We're supposed to be your friends."**_

_"__**I promised I wouldn't tell anyone," said Hermione severely. She looked around at Harry, who was watching Hogwarts disappear from view behind a mountain. Two whole months before he'd see it again…**_

_"__**Oh, cheer up, Harry!" said Hermione sadly.**_

_"__**I'm okay," said Harry quickly. "Just thinking about the holidays."**_

_"__**Yeah, I've been thinking about them too," said Ron. "Harry, you've got to come and stay with us. I'll fix it up with Mum and Dad, then I'll call you. I know how to use a fellytone now —"**_

_"__**A telephone, Ron," said Hermione. "Honestly, you should take Muggle Studies next year…"**_

_**Ron ignored her.**_

_"__**It's the Quidditch World Cup this summer! **_

"WHAT!" yelled both James and Alphonse in excitement about the news.

_**How about it, Harry? Come and stay, and we'll go and see it! Dad can usually get tickets from work."**_

"Arthur I love you." James exclaimed.

"Oh, so that means that I'm finally free from you Potter? Thank Merlin." Lily said in a relieved tone at which James stared at her with panicked eyes.

"No, Lily please you know that I only love you." he broke out panicked till Lily and everyone bust out laughing.

"She got you there mate." Sirius said while leaning on a grumbling James while laughing.

"Ha, ha, really funny guys, could we please finish this chapter?"

It took everyone five more minutes to calm down.

_**This proposal had the effect of cheering Harry up a great deal.**_

_"__**Yeah… I bet the Dursleys'd be pleased to let me come… especially after what I did to Aunt Marge…"**_

_**Feeling considerably more cheerful, Harry joined Ron and Hermione in several games of Exploding Snap, and when the witch with the tea cart arrived, he bought himself a very large lunch, though nothing with chocolate in it.**_

"But chocolate is the best."

"We know Moony."

_**But it was late in the afternoon before the thing that made him truly happy turned up…**_

_"__**Harry," said Hermione suddenly, peering over his shoulder. "What's that thing outside your window?"**_

_**Harry turned to look outside. Something very small and gray was bobbing in and out of sight beyond the glass. He stood up for a better look and saw that it was a tiny owl, carrying a letter that was much too big for it. The owl was so small, in fact, that it kept tumbling over in the air, buffeted this way and that in the train's slipstream. Harry quickly pulled down the window, stretched out his arm, and caught it. It felt like a very fluffy Snitch. He brought it carefully inside.**_

_**The owl dropped its letter onto Harry's seat and began zooming around their compartment, apparently very pleased with itself for accomplishing its task. **_

"Good, I sent him a letter." Sirius said grinning.

_**Hedwig clicked her beak with a sort of dignified disapproval. Crookshanks sat up in his seat, following the owl with his great yellow eyes. Ron, noticing this, snatched the owl safely out of harm's way.**_

Everyone sinnered at this while they Crookshanks only jawned and layd back down in Sirius's lap to sleep.

_**Harry picked up the letter. It was addressed to him. He ripped open the letter, and shouted, "It's from Sirius!"**_

_"__**What?" said Ron and Hermione excitedly. "Read it aloud!"**_

_**Dear Harry,**_

_**I hope this finds you before you reach your aunt and uncle. I don't know whether they're used to owl post.**_

"Not exactly." Petunia said smiling while the others tried not to laugh.

"Oh I'm really so naïve about Harry's relatives there." Sirius said grinning while shaking his head.

_**Buckbeak and I are in hiding. I won't tell you where, in case this owl falls into the wrong hands. I have some doubt about his reliability, but he is the best I could find, and he did seem eager for the job.**_

Everyone broke out about that.

_**I believe the Dementors are still searching for me, but they haven't a hope of finding me here. I am planning to allow some Muggles to glimpse me soon, a long way from Hogwarts, so that the security on the castle will be lifted.**_

"Sirius, don't you dare doing something risky." Druella told her nephew sternly.

"Yes Aunt Dru." Sirius replied.

_**There is something I never got around to telling you during our brief meeting. It was I who sent you the Firebolt —**_

"We already knew."

_"__**Ha!" said Hermione triumphantly. "See! I told you it was from him!"**_

_"__**Yes, but he hadn't jinxed it, had he?" said Ron. "Ouch!" The tiny owl now hooting happily in his hand, had nibbled one of his fingers in what it seemed to think was an affectionate way.**_

– _**Crookshanks took the order to the Owl Office for me.**_

"This cat is truly amazing." Alphonse said while Sirius grinned.

_**I used your name but told them to take the gold from my own Gringotts vault. Please consider it as thirteen birthdays' worth of presents from your godfather.**_

_**I would also like to apologize for the fright I think I gave you that night last year when you left your uncle's house. I had only hoped to get a glimpse of you before starting my journey north, but I think the sight of me alarmed you.**_

"He just thought he saw a death omen, no big deal." Bellatrix said while rolling her eyes.

_**I am enclosing something else for you, which I think will make your next year at Hogwarts more enjoyable.**_

_**If ever you need me, send word. Your owl will find me.**_

_**I'll write again soon.**_

_**Sirius**_

_**Harry looked eagerly inside the envelope. There was another piece of parchment in there. He read it through quickly and felt suddenly as warm and contented as though he'd swallowed a bottle of hot butterbeer in one gulp.**_

_**I, Sirius Black, Harry Potter's godfather, hereby give him permission to visit Hogsmeade on weekends.**_

Everyone cheered at this while both Lily and James hugged Sirius.

_"__**That'll be good enough for Dumbledore!" said Harry happily. He looked back at Sirius's letter. "Hang on, there's a PS…"**_

_**I thought your friend Ron might like to keep this owl, as it's my fault he no longer has a rat.**_

"That is nice of you Sirius." Molly said smiling.

_**Ron's eyes widened. The minute owl was still hooting excitedly. "Keep him?" he said uncertainly. He looked closely at the owl for a moment; then, to Harry's and Hermione's great surprise, he held him out for Crookshanks to sniff.**_

_"__**What do you reckon?" Ron asked the cat. "Definitely an owl?"**_

Everyone laughed at that.

_**Crookshanks purred.**_

_"__**That's good enough for me," said Ron happily. "He's mine."**_

_**Harry read and reread the letter from Sirius all the way back into King's Cross station. It was still clutched tightly in his hand as he, Ron, and Hermione stepped back through the barrier of platform nine and three-quarters. Harry spotted Uncle Vernon at once. He was standing a good distance from Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, eyeing them suspiciously, and when Mrs. Weasley hugged Harry in greeting, his worst suspicions about them seemed confirmed.**_

_"__**I'll call about the World Cup!" Ron yelled after Harry as Harry bid him and Hermione good-bye, then wheeled the trolley bearing his trunk and Hedwig's cage toward Uncle Vernon, who greeted him in his usual fashion.**_

_"__**What's that?" he snarled, staring at the envelope Harry was still clutching in his hand. "If it's another form for me to sign, you've got another —"**_

"How rude." Susan mumbled, her liking for Vernon Dursley sinking.

_"__**It's not," said Harry cheerfully. "It's a letter from my godfather."**_

_"__**Godfather?" sputtered Uncle Vernon. "You haven't got a godfather!"**_

_"__**Yes, I have," said Harry brightly. "He was my mum and dad's best friend. He's a convicted murderer, but he's broken out of wizard prison and he's on the run. He likes to keep in touch with me, though… keep up with my news… check if I'm happy…"**_

"Looks like we will soon have a third member in our club who gets used as a threat." Lucius said smirking while the others laughed.

_**And, grinning broadly at the look of horror on Uncle Vernon's face, Harry set off toward the station exit, Hedwig rattling along in front of him, for what looked like a much better summer than the last.**_

"And this was the end of the chapter." Petunia said while closing the book and giving it to Scorpius.

"Good, then we can start with the next book." Sirius said grinning.

"Fine." Al said as he took out a tick book from inside his robes and handed it to an eager Sirius.

"_Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire_" he read "Now that sounds interesting."

"It certainly will and you get the chance to read a bit about Victorie's mom." Scorpius said.

"Padfoot what are you waiting for?" James asked his friend.

"I'm starting already Prongs. _The Riddle House, _great we are starting already with Voldy's family." Sirius said while the others urged him to continue.

_**The villagers of Little Hangleton still called it "the Riddle House," e…**_

_Owari _


End file.
